Marcy Kaptur: “I offer a sense of Congress resolution in the form of an amendment concerning ethanol and diesel fuels. Mr. Chairman, we…”

“I offer a sense of Congress resolution in the form of an amendment concerning ethanol and diesel fuels. Mr. Chairman, we all have seen the price of fuel rise across the country, spike, and cause businesses and households a great deal of economic anxiety this summer. It was but yet another example of our overdependence on imported fuels to move this economy. There is no one answer to that problem, but obviously we should all have a strong, very strong-willed position to move America toward any energy independence in our lifetime. One of the most important departments to help us do that is the Department of Agriculture. In fact, the potential for the expanded use of ethanol and biodiesel and biofuels of all kinds using cellulose from our fields and forests is absolutely unlimited and it is renewable. In addition to that, it is much less polluting. The State of Ohio, for example, I think leads the Nation in mixtures that involve ethanol. We have shown that research can be done in producing alternative fuels that benefit our environment, can actually help our engines burn more cleanly, and end our growing dependence. Over 60 percent of the fuel used to power this economy comes from foreign sources. It is our major strategic vulnerability. USDA has been helping in research, albeit slowly, over the years. We are making some progress.”