In a beautifully bipartisan vote of 218 to 203, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, often referred to as the E15 bill because it fixes an outdated rule to allow uninterrupted, nationwide sales of the lower cost ethanol blend.
Ethanol producers, corn growers, and even the oil industry applauded passage of the bill on Wednesday evening.
Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper called it a hard-fought victory for consumers, farmers, and American families who want cleaner air and greater energy independence. “At a time of extreme market volatility and higher costs, this bill provides badly needed certainty for fuel retailers, oil refiners, ethanol producers, and consumers alike. The legislation gives Americans the freedom to choose E15 and removes three decades of red tape that had stifled competition and choice in the marketplace.”
“A bipartisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives has taken a gigantic step to allow Americans from coast-to-coast permanent access to low-cost E15.” said American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings “As gas prices continue to skyrocket across the United States, allowing E15 to be sold year-round is the fastest way to save consumers at the pump and help make America more energy secure in the face of the oil supply disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers: “As Americans continue to face pressure from rising energy costs, this bill delivers greater certainty for consumers while expanding choices at the pump. We thank Representatives Adrian Smith, Randy Feenstra, Stephanie Bice, and Michelle Fischbach for their leadership and urge the Senate to build on this momentum by passing similar legislation that strengthens the U.S. fuel supply and expands consumer choice.”
National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower said they are thrilled. “Passage of this bill is essential to the success of corn farmers and rural communities, particularly as our growers face their fourth year of net losses and struggle with high input costs. It would also help drivers across the country who could save 10 to 30 cents per gallon on gas as fuel prices continue to rise.”
Supporters of the bill had been working together in earnest this week, driving home the point that the bill is not a mandate and that allowing sales of the fuel during the summer months will help lower prices at the pump. The main objections to the legislation however came from the inclusion of targeted reforms to the Small Refinery Exemption (SRE) process, which led to the Congressional Budget Office projection that the bill would lead to a net increase in the federal deficit of $2.3 billion from 2026-36. Without that provision, the CBO said “allowing year-round sales of E15 would tend to reduce the deficit.”
In addition, an analysis by University of Missouri’s Food & Agricultural Policy Research Institute came out this week saying the measure would result in “higher demand for corn and lower demand for soybean oil and soybeans” by lowering demand for biomass-based diesel. That triggered some push back from soybean growers, and a statement from the American Soybean Association upon passage of the bill expressing concerns about the projections in the report. “Moving forward, ASA will continue working with lawmakers and stakeholders to advance solutions that enable year-round E15 without rewarding petroleum refiners who do not comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard at the expense of a critical domestic market for U.S. soy. Year-round E15 legislation must be pursued with a collective goal of strengthening farm income and supporting markets for both soybean and corn farmers.”
Ultimately the votes against the bill primarily came from lawmakers in states with mid-sized refineries that have been fighting against it all along, including Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana. With all eyes now on what the Senate will do, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) said she is encouraged by the House passage. “Though long overdue, this is a major step toward securing stability and certainty for American producers and consumers – without any government mandates. I commend my fellow Nebraskans, Reps. Adrian Smith, Mike Flood, and Don Bacon for their hard work and persistence in getting this bill passed. I also thank President Trump for his leadership on this issue; I will continue working to get a bill to his desk.”