| The Honorable Fred UptonChairmanCommittee on Energy & CommerceUnited States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 | The Honorable Frank PalloneRanking MemberCommittee on Energy & CommerceUnited States House of RepresentativesWashington, DC 20515 |
Dear Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Pallone:
We write to you about the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which is increasingly recognized as a failed policy in need of attention by Congress. With the exception of the corn and ethanol industries, which continue to benefit from the RFS mandate, nearly everyone else suffers under this unfair and destructive policy. We ask that the Committee consider and mark-up legislation to address the RFS as soon as possible.
Although enacted with the best of intentions in 2005 when our nation faced very different circumstances from today’s, the RFS has created perverse incentives to overplant corn, distort food commodity markets and wreak economic and environmental havoc.
We thank you for the Committee’s serious and thoughtful bipartisan effort in the last Congress to review the RFS and consider possible reforms in light of the many unintended consequences that have resulted from the mandate since its inception. That process was very constructive and laid a foundation for significant changes to the policy.
Since that time the chorus of voices calling for RFS reforms has grown and the case against the policy has become even more convincing. The RFS is now in its 10th year – let us not allow this policy failure to continue to fester when its flaws are so plain to see.
Only Congress can solve the problems created by the RFS. Our organizations are committed to working with you on a bipartisan legislative solution to achieve this goal.
Thank you,
ActionAid USAAmerican Bakers AssociationAmerican Beverage AssociationAmerican Frozen Food InstituteAmerican Motorcyclist AssociationAmerican Sportfishing AssociationAssociated Builders and Contractors – FloridaAssociation of Kentucky Fried Chicken FranchiseesCalifornia Dairy CampaignCenter for Coastal ConservationClean Air Task ForceCompetitive Enterprise InstituteCouncil for Citizens Against Government WasteDairy Producers of New MexicoDairy Producers of UtahEnvironmental Working GroupFlorida Cattlemen’s AssociationFlorida Concrete and Products AssociationFlorida State Hispanic Chamber of CommerceFlorida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store AssociationFranchise Management Advisory CouncilFreedomWorksFriends of the EarthIdaho Dairymen’s AssociationInternational Dairy Foods AssociationInternational Foodservice Distributors AssociationInternational Pizza Hut Franchise Holder’s AssociationMarine Retailers Association of the AmericasMilk Producers CouncilNational Association of Egg FarmersNational Chicken CouncilNational Council of Chain RestaurantsNational Franchisee AssociationNational Frozen Pizza InstituteNational Grocers AssociationNational Marine Manufacturers AssociationNational Restaurant AssociationNational Taxpayers UnionNational Turkey FederationNevada State Dairy CommissionNorth American Meat InstituteNorthwest Dairy Association/DarigoldOregon Dairy Farmers AssociationOxfam AmericaPennsylvania Food Merchants AssociationR Street InstituteSnack Food AssociationSouth East Dairy Farmers AssociationSoutheast Milk, Inc.Southeastern Meat AssociationSpecialty Equipment Market AssociationTaxpayers for Common SenseTaxpayers Protection AllianceWashington State Dairy FederationWestern United Dairymen