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Ethanol
Wins Big! Cox-Waxman Defeated (8-1-01)
In a rare floor
vote on an ethanol issue, the U.S. House of Representatives late this
evening decisively defeated by a vote of 300 to 125 an amendment to
the H.R. 4 offered by Reps. Cox (R-CA) and Waxman (D-CA) that would
have given California a waiver from the RFG oxygen requirement. Opposition
was widespread on both sides of the isle with support coming from the
leadership of both parties.
The debate focused
on the fact that the Cox-Waxman amendment was for California only. Members
in opposition spoke strongly about the benefits of the RFG program and
referred to a letter from EPA Administrator Christine Whitman calling
for the amendment's defeat. Recalling EPA's denial earlier this summer
of California's waiver request to EPA, Whitman said "The Federal
RFG program has been extremely successful and cost -effective program
that has provided substantial air quality benefits to millions of people
throughout the country."
"This was
a hard-fought victory for corn growers who have worked to defeat this
amendment in subcommittee, in full committee, and finally on the floor
of the House," said NCGA President Lee Klein, a farmer from Battle
Creek, Neb. "Without the support of champions on the Energy and
Commerce Committee like Reps. Shimkus (R-IL) Ganske (R-IA) Terry (R-NE)
Strickland (D-OH) as well as Chairman Tauzan (R-LA) and Ranking Member
Dingell (D-MI) corn growers would not have been successful in fighting
the nation-state of California. We thank these members for their hard
work."
Klein also thanked
corn growers throughout the nation who worked hard to make this victory
possible, "spending time and burning shoe-leather to work for votes
on the Hill. Special thanks go to growers from Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota,
and Iowa who came to Washington this week and made the effort to visit
every House member's office to lobby for the defeat of the Cox-Waxman
amendment."
For copies of letters
and other materials that were sent to the Hill on this issue, visit
the NCGA intrernet on our web site, www.ncga.com.
FINAL
VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 313 ON COX-WAXMAN AMENDMENT
Last
reviewed August 1, 2001
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