Pete Domenici: “I am just addressing the millions of people in this country, most of them farmers, many thousands in the State of the…”

“I am just addressing the millions of people in this country, most of them farmers, many thousands in the State of the occupant of the chair, who would like to see ethanol, since it would do great things for them and at the same time diminish our demands on gasoline from crude oil. Now I am speaking to them. Whatever has been said by the good Senator from Illinois, all the farmers in his State who produce corn and the other products should know there is no way to get an ethanol bill of any consequence without addressing the issue of MTBE. The way the issue has been addressed by the Senator from Illinois on MTBE is wrong, but nonetheless let us just talk about the reality of it. Do my colleagues want a major ethanol program for America? The answer is overwhelmingly yes. Then go to conference with the House like we did and say to them: We want an ethanol bill like the one that passed the Senate. They will say: Not on your life, unless you decide to treat those who produce MTBE, a forerunner to ethanol, fairly.”