Arizona Senator submits amendment to end funding to ethanol blender pumps

In Washington, Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., has filed an amendment to H.R. 4660, the minibus appropriations bill, to end subsidies for ethanol blender pumps. Ethanol Blender Pumps Prohibition Amendment: This amendment prohibits funding for blender pumps for ethanol, ensuring that the mature corn ethanol industry does not receive additional taxpayer subsidies for ethanol blender pumps. In the past, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) has provided corn ethanol blender pump subsidies. However, the 2014 Farm Bill eliminated REAP funding for ethanol blender pumps. Other programs have taken over the subsidies for corn ethanol blender pumps such as the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels (BPAB), Repowering Assistance Program, and Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (formerly the Biorefinery Assistance Program). This program encourages wasteful subsidies for the corn industries, harms the environment, and damages vehicle engines that use ethanol. This amendment was adopted by voice vote during House consideration.