Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra is applauding House approval of year-round E15, saying the move will be a boost for Iowa farming communities and everyday families.
Even as E15 faces an uncertain road in the Senate, the milestone marks a victory for Feenstra, who was tapped to help shepherd a compromise through the House as a co-leader of a congressional biofuels task force.
The high-stakes role came amid heightened scrutiny of Feenstra, both from Democrats and members of his own party, as he mounts a bid for governor and heads into a potentially competitive primary election.
He told the Des Moines Register in an interview that he plans to tout the win on the campaign trail in Iowa.
“For me, my number one vision was to make sure that Iowa becomes the most business and ag-friendly state in the country,” he said. “And when you pass the Farm Bill, when you pass E15, this is a great step in helping our farming community by creating more markets for our corn and then giving the opportunity for our corn and ethanol to be sold around the world.”
The measure expanding access to E15 passed the House in a 218-203 vote May 13 after facing numerous hurdles in the leadup to the vote.
But its fate remains uncertain amid strong opposition from lawmakers representing oil and gas states and a Senate divided over worries it will hurt refiners.
Feenstra said he’s hopeful E15 will become law after seeing the bipartisan support it enjoyed in the House where 122 Republicans and 95 Democrats voted for it, along with one independent.
He said House Republican leaders “kept their word” and delivered a vote. He thanked Republican President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance for their support of E15.
Feenstra said increasing access to E15 would help lower gas prices, which have skyrocketed during the war with Iran.
“It’s all about affordability,” he said. “Meaning that this will lower gas prices by 30 to 40 cents. So the family, creating that budget, hopefully can see lower gas costs and that will dramatically help, not only families, but small businesses.”
But Democrats made clear they still plan to target Feenstra over the issue.
“Try as he might, Randy Feenstra can’t rewrite his record of repeatedly failing to deliver nationwide year-round E15 for Iowa farmers,” Iowa Democratic Party Spokesperson Terra Hernandez said in a statement. “Feenstra has given farmers the runaround for months with empty promises and broken commitments while a deal was always one step out of reach. Iowa farmers deserve real results, not more of Feenstra’s election-year excuses.”
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She writes about campaigns, elections and the Iowa Caucuses. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Randy Feenstra touts E15 vote after leading congressional task force
Reporting by Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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