On the recordDecember 2, 2010
It seems as though every few weeks or so there are a lot of misleading and misinformed accusations launched at our Nation's renewable fuel producers. It is impossible to come to the Senate floor to respond to all of them. But sometimes the claims are so outrageous that they require an informed response. So I am here to give that response with emphasis on the word 'informed.' Earlier this week, a number of my colleagues in the Senate, including a few of my fellow Republicans, sent a letter to the majority and minority leaders expressing their opposition to extending the tax incentives for homegrown ethanol. Homegrown means we are less dependent upon people such as Dictator Chavez and our oil sheiks. My colleagues argued that the tax incentive for the production of clean, homegrown ethanol is fiscally irresponsible. They expressed their support for allowing the 45-cent-per-gallon credit for ethanol use to expire. It is important to remember that the incentive exists to help the producers of ethanol compete with the big oil industry.
