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1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. ___
1 2 BY BARTZ, BOETTGER, BLACK of Kossuth, RENSINK,
1 3 KIBBIE, JUDGE, BEHN, FINK, HEDGE, and BORLAUG
1 4 A Concurrent Resolution to request that the Congress of
1 5 the United States maintain and renew its commitment
1 6 to America's corn growers and this nation's ethanol
1 7 industry by supporting a tax exemption and by taking
1 8 other actions to increase this nation's commitment to
1 9 the production and use of ethanol.
1 10 WHEREAS, this nation is dependent upon the
1 11 consumption of ever-diminishing domestic crude oil
1 12 reserves with the United States annually importing
1 13 foreign petroleum which accounts for 54 percent of the
1 14 nation's petroleum consumption and contributes to the
1 15 nation's serious trade deficit; and
1 16 WHEREAS, a significant amount of this nation's air
1 17 pollution is caused by vehicles, emitting a variety of
1 18 petroleum-based pollutants, including benzene and
1 19 other aromatics, nitrous oxides, particulate matter in
1 20 the form of smoke and soot, carbon monoxide, and
1 21 carbon dioxide; and
1 22 WHEREAS, the state of Iowa ranks as a preeminent
1 23 agricultural state, leading the nation in the
1 24 production of corn; and
1 25 WHEREAS, the processing of corn into ethanol adds
1 26 value to this nation's abundant corn crop, increasing
1 27 net farm income, creating employment opportunities,
1 28 increasing state and federal tax receipts, reducing
1 29 this nation's dependence upon foreign nations, and
1 30 reducing the federal trade deficit; and
2 1 WHEREAS, in 1996 ethanol production contributed
2 2 $1.9 billion to Iowa's economy, affected the
2 3 employment of 13,250 Iowans, and increased the value
2 4 of Iowa's corn crop by $335 million; and
2 5 WHEREAS, ethanol provides competition in fuel
2 6 markets and expands consumers' choice of motor fuels
2 7 which has resulted in a 45 percent market share in the
2 8 state of Iowa; and
2 9 WHEREAS, motor fuel that includes only a 10 percent
2 10 blend of ethanol contains 3.5 percent oxygen, which
2 11 enhances octane levels and provides more oxygen for
2 12 fuel combustion resulting in reduced levels of
2 13 hazardous emissions such as carbon monoxide and which
2 14 provides Americans with healthier air to breathe; and
2 15 WHEREAS, the United States Congress in supporting
2 16 the need to reduce this nation's dependence upon
2 17 foreign petroleum, to provide additional markets for
2 18 domestic corn, to protect the public health, and to
2 19 preserve the nation's environment, has traditionally
2 20 encouraged ethanol production and consumption; and
2 21 WHEREAS, long-standing bipartisan congressional
2 22 support for the ethanol industry is reflected by the
2 23 5.4 cent federal tax exemption applicable to gasoline
2 24 formulated using clean burning ethanol; and
2 25 WHEREAS, the federal tax exemption, currently
2 26 scheduled to expire on December 31, 2000, is subject
2 27 to attack by certain members of the current session of
2 28 the 105th Congress of the United States, as manifested
2 29 by H.R. 161 introduced by United States Representative
2 30 Phil English and H.R. 587 introduced by United States
3 1 Representative Ken Bentsen, both supported by United
3 2 States Representative Bill Archer serving as the
3 3 Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee; NOW
3 4 THEREFORE,
3 5 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF
3 6 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That the general assembly
3 7 encourage the Congress of the United States to resist
3 8 all efforts to diminish its traditional support of
3 9 corn growers and the ethanol industry.
3 10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Congress of the
3 11 United States renew this nation's commitment to the
3 12 ethanol industry, including by continuing its support
3 13 of the federal ethanol tax exemption, increasing its
3 14 commitment to this environmentally benevolent
3 15 renewable fuel, and taking other actions to increase
3 16 this nation's commitment to the production and use of
3 17 ethanol.
3 18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
3 19 Resolution be sent by the Secretary of the Senate to
3 20 the President of the United States.
3 21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
3 22 Resolution be sent by the Secretary of the Senate to
3 23 the President of the Senate of the United States; the
3 24 Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United
3 25 States; the majority and minority leaders of the
3 26 United States Senate; and the majority and minority
3 27 leaders of the United States House of Representatives.
3 28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
3 29 Resolution be sent by the Secretary of the Senate to
3 30 the chairmen and ranking members of the United States
4 1 Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
4 2 Forestry; the United States Senate Committee on
4 3 Commerce, Science, and Transportation; the United
4 4 States Senate Committee on Finance; the United States
4 5 Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; the
4 6 United States House of Representatives Committee on
4 7 Agriculture; the United States House of
4 8 Representatives Committee on Ways and Means; the
4 9 United States House of Representatives Committee on
4 10 Transportation and Infrastructure; and the United
4 11 States House of Representatives Committee on
4 12 Resources.
4 13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
4 14 Resolution be sent by the Secretary of the Senate to
4 15 Iowa's congressional delegation.
4 16 LSB 2772SS 77
4 17 da/jj/8.1
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