After years of uncertainty, Congress is closer than ever to delivering a permanent solution for year-round E15 sales.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed bipartisan legislation allowing the nationwide, year-round sale of E15 by a vote of 218-203. This could not have happened without biofuels champions on both sides of the aisle. Representatives held press conferences, advocated personally to their colleagues, and spoke on the House floor in support of E15. Because of their efforts, Members of Congress from both parties and states well beyond the Midwest joined in supporting and passing this bill.
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Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R (MN-07), sponsor of H.R. 1346 said upon passage, “This bill will provide certainty for our rural economies, lower costs for families, and strengthen our national energy independence. I am incredibly proud to have supported this legislation and see it pass the House Floor.”
The legislation now moves to the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune has been tasked by President Trump with advancing E15 legislation and finally providing the certainty consumers, fuel retailers, farmers, and biofuel producers deserve.
This is a big win for biofuels champions, but we’re not done yet.
This summer marks the fifth consecutive year that emergency action by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been required to ensure drivers can continue accessing E15 during the busy driving season. While those emergency waivers have helped avoid disruption, they were never intended to be a long-term solution. Retailers making investments, farmers planning for future demand, and biofuel producers serving growing markets need consistency and reliability — not annual uncertainty.
A permanent legislative fix would accomplish exactly that.
Most importantly, it would give consumers year-round access to a more affordable fuel option. E15 can sell for 30 to 40 cents less per gallon than conventional gasoline, providing meaningful savings for families, commuters, and businesses at a time when every dollar matters. The legislation doesn’t require anyone to purchase E15. It simply gives retailers the option to offer another fuel choice and allows consumers to decide what works best for them.
Today’s E15 market is already substantial and growing. More than 5,000 retail locations across the country offer E15, and the fuel is approved for 96% of vehicles on the road today. Many consumers are surprised to learn that the vast majority of existing fuel infrastructure, like pumps, hoses, and storage tanks, can already handle E15 just as it handles E10, making expanded availability both practical and cost-effective.
Beyond affordability, E15 strengthens American energy security. Every gallon contains more homegrown fuel produced from crops grown by American farmers and processed in American communities. At a time when global energy markets remain unpredictable, increasing access to domestic energy sources helps reduce dependence on foreign oil and keeps more energy dollars circulating within the United States.
E15 also offers environmental and public health benefits. Bioethanol displaces aromatics and other petroleum-based compounds commonly found in gasoline, helping create a cleaner-burning fuel while reducing the need for chemicals that contribute to harmful emissions.
Perhaps most importantly, E15 represents a uniquely American success story. It is made right here in the United States by hardworking people in communities that embody the values of hard work, innovation, and common sense. It supports rural economies, creates jobs, expands markets for farmers, and provides consumers with a cleaner, more affordable choice at the pump.
“Today’s House passage of my Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act marks a historic win for America’s consumers, farmers, and energy independence. For over a decade, I have championed nationwide, year-round E15 to end years of patchwork regulations and expand much-needed market access for Nebraska’s biofuels producers.” Said Rep. Adrian Smith, R (NE-03) via a press release, “While I am grateful for the bipartisan support of my colleagues today, I know there is still more work to do. I urge the Senate to take up this bill and send it to President Trump’s desk so he can sign it into law and make nationwide, year-round E15 a reality once and for all.”
The House has done its job. Now it’s time for the Senate to do the same.
Democrat co-sponsor Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) said, “Today’s bipartisan action shows what’s possible when we put American energy, rural communities, and working families first. I’m proud to have helped lead this effort and urge the Senate to quickly pass this bill and get relief to the American people.”
Year-round E15 isn’t a partisan issue. The bipartisan House vote demonstrated that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle recognize the benefits of greater fuel choice, lower costs, and stronger American energy production. The Senate now has an opportunity to deliver a permanent solution that consumers, farmers, and retailers have sought for years.
Shortly before the house took the bipartisan vote, co-sponsor Rep. Shontel Brown, D(OH-11) stated at a press conference in front of the Capitol, “After all the noise and all this delay, Congress will arrive at the same conclusion communities across Ohio and the Midwest understood for years, and that’s year-round E15 just makes sense.”
The finish line is finally in sight. Congress should cross it.
