For generations, Iowa farmers and biofuel producers have answered America’s call. They’ve worked hard, invested in new technology, and built one of the most reliable and innovative biofuels industries in the world. Their work strengthens our energy security, supports made-in-America jobs, and gives families a more affordable option at the pump.
Yet every summer, Washington forces them to hold their breath.
Year-round, nationwide access to E15, fuel blended with 15% American ethanol, has been treated as a temporary fix instead of the permanent solution it should be. For too long, Congress has relied on last-minute waivers to keep E15 available, creating unnecessary uncertainty. That instability delays investment, slows infrastructure expansion, and leaves producers and consumers alike wondering whether access will continue from one year to the next.
The facts are clear. The benefits are proven. What’s been missing is the certainty to match.
Year-round E15 strengthens far more than agriculture. It strengthens America’s competitiveness and reinforces our national security. When we expand access to fuel produced here at home, we reduce our reliance on volatile foreign markets and adversaries who benefit when we hesitate. Energy security is national security, and domestic biofuels make America more resilient in times of global disruption.
It also strengthens our economy from the ground up. When fuel is grown in Iowa and refined in America, energy dollars stay in American communities. Rural economies grow stronger. Domestic supply chains become more secure. Families see real savings when they fill up their tanks.
But this issue is about more than policy. It’s about people.
It’s about the Iowa farmer facing rising input costs and unpredictable markets, wondering whether the family operation passed down for generations will endure. For them, year-round E15 provides the stability they need to plan for the next season instead of worrying about the next waiver.
And it’s about the working parent balancing a family budget. Every trip to the pump is a calculation. When E15 is available, those savings add up — helping families afford groceries, childcare, and everyday essentials.
This is real life for families across Iowa and across the country.
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That’s why I proudly invited President Donald Trump to join me in Iowa last month. Standing in the heart of the heartland, he made his commitment clear: send him a year-round E15 bill, and he will sign it into law without delay. That commitment brings us closer than ever to delivering the certainty farmers and families deserve.
Congress was inches away from delivering it. A bipartisan agreement to secure permanent E15 was within reach in the final spending package, only to be pulled at the last moment.
That setback was disappointing, but it also underscored how close we are to finishing the job.
I’ve made biofuels a top priority because Iowa is already proving what’s possible. Biofuels strengthen domestic production, lower fuel costs, improve supply chain resilience, and support American energy independence. I worked directly with the Treasury Department to secure guidance for the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, ensuring American producers can invest with confidence and continue leading the world in clean, reliable fuel.
Now Congress must finish the job.
I’m proud to be working with a diverse group of lawmakers in the House, alongside farmers, producers, and industry leaders, to resolve remaining differences and chart a clear path forward to deliver permanent, nationwide E15 this spring.
The president is ready to sign. The industry is aligned. Farmers are prepared to invest. Families are ready to save.
No more temporary fixes. No more uncertainty. No more “almost.”
It is time to act and make year-round, nationwide E15 the law of the land — and give American farmers and families the certainty they’ve earned.
Republican Rep. Zach Nunn represents Iowa’s 3rd District.