Dear Senator,

We write today urging you to oppose an amendment that would halt our efforts to create American jobs, strengthen national security and bolster our rural economy.  Specifically, we ask that you oppose an amendment introduced by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, to legislation reauthorizing the Economic Development Administration.

Sen. McCain’s amendment, No. 411, would enforce the foreign oil mandate over our transportation fuels marketplace by blocking a job-creating effort to promote the installation of flex pumps.  Flex pumps would provide consumers the power to choose their fuel, instead of having oil companies make that choice for them.  The only way we are going to break oil’s strategic hold over our economy is by opening the consumer market to commercially available alternatives, like ethanol.  Unfortunately, Sen. McCain’s amendment would strip the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies of the authority to incentivize the installation of flex pumps at retail filling stations.

If Senator McCain’s amendment passes the Senate, it would increase gas prices on working families by prohibiting more affordable fuel from entering the market, put U.S. jobs at risk, increase our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and pull the rug out from under the efforts to develop cellulosic ethanol by preventing ethanol from gaining equal market access with foreign oil.

Again, we strongly urge you to oppose efforts by Senator McCain to limit American motorists’ choice to alternative fuels.

Sincerely,

Growth Energy
Renewable Fuels Association
American Coalition for Ethanol
National Corn Growers Association