ETHANOL ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2017 (AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS)
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Scott Pruitt, EPA President Trump Sonny Perdue, USDA Terry Branstad, Ambassador to China Bill Wehrum, EPA Air Office
TRUMP HAS OVERTURNED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF RULES WITH MANY MORE IN PROGRESS Status of environmental rules and regulations under the Trump administration Overturned rules Rollbacks in progress Rollbacks in limbo
2018 RVOs 2017 Final 2018 Statute 2018 Final Total 19.28 bg 26 bg 19.29 bg Advanced 4.28 bg 11 bg 4.29 bg Cellulosic 311 mg 7 bg 288 mg Implied Conventional 15 bg 15 bg 15 bg
CRUZ PLAYING TEXAS HOLD EM? President Trump Scott Pruitt, EPA Senator Cruz (TX) Senator Grassley (IA) Senator Ernst (IA) Bill Northey, USDA Nominee Senator Inhofe (OK) Senator Barrasso (WY)
ADDITIONAL RFS ISSUES Court struck down EPA use of General Waiver Authority EPA rejected efforts to move point-ofobligation Pennsylvania and Texas Waiver Requests
RVP 1. Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act Legislation would clarify that 10 percent or more ethanol would qualify for RVP waiver. S. 517 Sens. Fischer (NE), Donnelly (IN), Grassley (IA) HR 1311 Reps. Smith (NE) and Loebsack (IA) 2. EPA Consistent with Trump s call to eliminate unnecessary regulations. Pruitt is seeking legal analysis.
OCTANE OPPORTUNITY Trump re-opens Mid-term Evaluation of the 2022-2025 CAFE-GHG standards, invites comment on high octane fuels 2012 Obama administration comes to agreement on emission standards Pruitt wants octane to be part of the discussion Jan. 2017 Mar. 2017 EPA rushed to finalize 2022-2025 MY standards Trump orders EPA to reconsider 2022-2025 standards Opportunity for 99-100 RON (E25-30) blends Opportunity for FFV incentives April 2018 Date by which EPA makes Final Determination
INTERNATIONAL TRADE ACE getting more involved in export promotion WTO NAFTA Renegotiation
OTHER LEGISLATIVE ISSUES Tax cuts/reform Farm Bill ACE collaboration with E2 and NRDC
KEY DATES & NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES FOR THE 115 TH CONGRESS DEC. Appropriations deadline Debt ceiling reinstated on Dec. 8 2017 session ends on Dec. 15 JAN. Trump reaches one full year in office Congress enters 2018 session Current points of debate Tax reform: Republicans will try to send a bill to the President before the end of the month Elections: Roy Moore (R) and Doug Jones (D) face off in a special election Debt ceiling: The debt limit was suspended until December 2017, in a deal Trump made with congressional Democrats
TAX REFORM November 16, 2017: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: The House passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and the Senate Finance Committee approved its own version of the bill. December 2, 2017: The Senate passes its version of the tax bill in a 51-49 vote, with all Democrats and one Republican voting against it. Potential actions House and Senate conference committee will reconcile differences in tax reform legislation Congress aims to send a tax bill to the president s desk by the end of 2017 Legislative timeline December 2015 June 2016 September 2017 October 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016: It made certain tax extenders permanent; the deal was attached to a mustpast bill, ensuring swift passage House Republicans tax blueprint: Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady released the House GOP s tax reform platform, part of Speaker Ryan s A Better Way plan Big six tax plan: Republican leadership from the White House, Senate and House released their proposal to reform the U.S. tax code Senate budget resolution: The Senate passed a budget resolution for FY 2018 including reconciliation instructions and guidelines for tax reform; the House narrowly passes the Senate budget resolution with a 216-212 vote.
THE 2018 FARM BILL October 26, 2017: House and Senate pass FY2018 budgets: The budget mostly maintains baseline funding for Farm Bill programs, forgoing the major cuts requested by the White House. The final budget did not include reconciliation instructions for the Farm Bill, so 60 votes will be needed to pass it. September 30, 2018: The Farm Bill expires Legislative timeline House and Senate agriculture committees want to maintain a unified bill with nutrition and farm programs A depressed commodity market will likely produce support across the aisle for maintaining crop insurance programs ACE working with conservation, agriculture, and environmental groups on conservation title 2014 February 2017 Feb-April 2017 Feb/May 2017 October 9, 2017 Farm Bill passes two years late: Contention around cutting funds for SNAP and removing direct payments to farmers, among other issues, delayed the legislation Hearing: Setting the Stage for the Next Farm Bill House Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX11), listened to testimony by UDSA s chief economist and academics House Ag Subcommittees held hearings on conservation policy, rural development and energy programs, specialty crops, livestock and dairy issues, commodity markets, SNAP and the Farm Credit System Senate Ag Committee held hearings in Chairman Roberts home state of Kansas and Ranking Member Stabenow s home state of Michigan House Ag Committee listened to farmers in the major dairy and apple state of NY and is launching a weekly video series highlighting the importance of a strong farm bill for all Americans
115 th CONGRESS: U.S. SENATE 46 52 46-2-52 Republican Senate Majority Democrats Republicans Independents 16
115 th CONGRESS: U.S. HOUSE 193-239 Republican House Majority Democrats Republicans Independents
POLITICS OF SENATE CONTROL - 2018 McConnell (R-KY) Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) Minority Leader
KEY BIOFUEL SENATORS UP FOR RE-ELECTION IN 2018 Brown (D-OH) Donnelly (D-IN) Fischer (R-NE) Heitkamp (D-ND) Klobuchar (D-MN) McCaskill (D-MO) Stabenow (D-MI) MN Junior Senator
SAVE THE DATE! Next ACE Webinar February 20, 2018 1:00 PM CST
Register Now! ACE FLY-IN March 21-22, 2018 Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel Meet with members of Congress and the Administration in this two-day show of support for biofuels in our nation s capital.