Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE), co-chair of the biofuels caucus and original sponsor of the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues at a press conference Tuesday urging Congress to lower prices at the pump for consumers and increase much-needed market access for ag producers by passing the bill that will allow year-round access to E15 nationwide.

During his remarks, Smith set the record straight by debunking E15 opponents’ false claims while encouraging his colleagues to support commonsense policy as opposed to political gamesmanship. “Our opponents claim this legislation is an unfunded mandate. That is simply false,” said Smith. “What it does is provide certainty and flexibility for retailers who choose to offer E15 during the remaining three months of the year. It expands consumer choice—it does not impose government mandates.”

“They say ‘E15 raises prices for consumers.’ When in reality, E15 does the opposite. In fact, it has proven to lower prices at the pump by 30 cents per gallon on average. At a time when families are already stretched thin, lower fuel costs matter, and that is exactly what E15 delivers.”

Smith was joined by National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower, along with U.S. Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), and Shontel Brown (D-OH). Budzinski stressed the bipartisan nature of the legislation. “I am calling on my colleagues – Republicans and Democrats alike – to come together and finally pass permanent, year-round E15 nationwide,” said Budzinski. “Let’s deliver certainty for our growers. Let’s deliver lower costs for consumers. Let’s strengthen American energy independence. And let’s show the American people that Congress is still capable of coming together to solve real problems.”

Listen to their remarks here:
E15 Congressional presser 27:40