The war between ethanol backers and oil supporters is heating up on Capital Hill. Texas Senator Ted Cruz will get his meeting with President Trump to talk about overhauling the Renewable Fuel Standard. Cruz has been blocking Senate confirmation of Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey to a top USDA post, over the RFS. However, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the anti-ethanol forces have already lost any leverage due to timing and Cruz is at a disadvantage.
Grassley doesn’t expect the President to sell out the ethanol industry after Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the RFS and ordered the EPA administrator to turn down a proposed reduction in biofuel volumes.
Grassley says Congress would have to agree to make legislative changes to the RFS, something it hasn’t done so far.
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The White House meeting with Cruz is expected soon. Back in October some oil patch Senators asked for the meeting with Trump and wanted biofuels backers and Midwest lawmakers to be included. Grassley says he wasn’t invited and doubts they’d want him in that exchange.
