A new standard

By Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Last month, the Biden Administration finally listened to the Iowa delegation and announced that E15 fuel could be sold across the country during the summer months.

I have called for the Administration to take action for months and I fully support this decision. Since I came to Congress in 2021, I have been advocating for biofuels because of their greater efficiency, low costs to consumers, and beneficial environmental impact. Vehicles that use biofuels emit less carbon dioxide and help reduce the carbon footprint of the United States.

Our own Governor Kim Reynolds knows the benefits of E15 and recently signed a bill requiring many Iowa gas stations to sell fuel with higher ethanol blends.

Our state’s bipartisan bill increases fuel availability across the state and sets Iowa as the first state in the nation to adopt this kind of E15 standard. I am very excited to see Iowa and Governor Reynolds once again leading the way by adopting a standard that the rest of the country can follow.

With this law, Iowa is increasing biofuels production and creating competition in the fuel industry. This is a win for our farmers, consumers, and the Iowa economy. I have always advocated for consumers having more choices and increasing competition to help lower the costs of goods and services. With these expected lower gas prices, we will be able to help individuals who have been facing record-breaking inflation and soaring gas prices under the Biden Administration’s anti-domestic energy policies.

It is my hope that other states will follow Iowa’s direction and increase the availability of E15 at the fuel pump. I will continue to call on the Administration again to adopt policies that allow for permanent year-round sales of E15. Due to the rising gas prices and the benefits that E15 brings, I hope that my colleagues in Congress will act as well to pass legislation to allow E15 to be sold year-round, making biofuels a new standard for fuel in the United States.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks is a resident of Ottumwa who currently represents Iowa’s Second District in the United States House of Representatives.