Former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle shared his thoughts on a 50-50 split Senate during an appearance on a panel at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Summit Tuesday. He offered advice from his own experience in the 107th Congress in 2001, the only other time in history there was a split Senate.

“It’s going to take good chemistry, it’s going to take communication between the two leaders in order to move what is basically an operating manual for the U.S. Senate for the next two years,” said Daschle, noting the good relationship he had with Mississippi Republican Sen. Trent Lott.

The former senator, who was instrumental in the development of the Renewable Fuel Standard, is now a strong advocate for higher blends of ethanol. “If we could get into orbit, E30 is going to take us there,” he said on the panel Biofuels Policy in 2021 and Beyond. “If we’re looking for solutions to carbon, ethanol provides it. If we need solutions for high octane, ethanol provides it. But we have to take it beyond E15 to get there.”

Listen to some of Daschle’s comments here:

IRFA Summit - Tom Daschle comments on split Senate (1:53)

IRFA Summit - Tom Daschle comments on higher ethanol blends (2:04)