Rep. John Thune (R-SD) and a group of farm belt cosponsors yesterday introduced the "The Renewable Fuels for Energy Security Act." H.R. 2423 is a companion bill to Senate legislation introduced earlier this month by Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Tim Johnson (D-SD).

Like the Hagel-Johnson bill, H.R. 2423 would set a national renewable fuel standard for gasoline and diesel production. That standard would mandate ambitious production goals that could result in 9 billion gallons of ethanol use by 2011 and 16 billion gallons of ethanol use by 2015. Those numbers would be achieved by directing that renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel replace 3 percent of the energy used in highway transportation by 2011 and 5 percent by 2016.

H.R. 2423 advances the issue of national energy security because the volume of renewable fuels produced would displace 300,000 barrels of oil imports daily in 2011 and 610,000 barrels a day in 2016.

Lee Klein, NCGA President and a Battle Creek, Neb., grower, said, "We're pleased that a House bill to grow the ethanol industry has been introduced. It will enable corn growers to help our nation meet its energy needs, raise the price of corn so farmers can help themselves and their families, and build more ethanol plants so that we can deliver employment and economic opportunities in rural communities. This bill represents another positive step toward placing a renewable fuels provision into the energy bill during the 107th Congress."

Cosponsors are Reps. Tom Osborne (R-NE), Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) and Greg Ganske (R-IA).

Last reviewed June 29, 2001

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