WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), along with a bipartisan group of colleagues, called on the Biden Administration to block taxpayer money from being used to subsidize biofuels produced using imported foreign feedstocks such as Chinese used cooking oil and Brazilian ethanol.
In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the senators called on the Administration to restrict the eligibility of the forthcoming 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit to renewable biofuels fuels made from feedstocks sourced domestically. The tax credit is intended to make America more energy independent and spur the production of biofuels made with American-produced feedstocks – building new markets for American farmers.
The letter comes amidst a surge in imports of Chinese used cooking oil being used to produce biofuels in the U.S. that is displacing the use of domestic feedstocks. The senators warned that a poorly crafted rule will hurt American farmers, undermine the American biofuel industry’s competitiveness, and undercut American energy independence.
“As Treasury works to craft 45Z guidance, we urge you to restrict the eligibility to renewable fuels made from feedstocks sourced domestically,” the senators wrote. “If drafted and implemented correctly, the credit will help to support robust American energy independence—incentivizing the production of biofuels made with domestically-produced feedstocks. In order to ensure this objective, it is essential that the 45Z rule articulate clear, workable pathways for domestically-produced renewable fuels derived from domestically-produced feedstocks.”
In addition to Senators Young, Braun, Brown, and Marshall, Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) also signed the letter.
Full text of the letter can be found here and below:
Dear Secretary Yellen:
It is critical to American energy independence and rural prosperity that the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) issue proposed and subsequently final guidance for the Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z) in advance of its January 1, 2025, statutory deadline. Finalizing this rule in a timely manner will provide farmers, renewable fuel producers, end-users, and other biofuels stakeholders with the certainty and clarity they need to invest and make planting decisions. As Treasury works to craft 45Z guidance, we urge you to restrict the eligibility to renewable fuels made from feedstocks sourced domestically.
45Z is intended to stimulate the development of a domestic, low-carbon fuel supply chain and to increase American competitiveness in the renewable and traditional energy markets. If drafted and implemented correctly, the credit will help to support robust American energy independence—incentivizing the production of biofuels made with domestically-produced feedstocks. In order to ensure this objective, it is essential that the 45Z rule articulate clear, workable pathways for domestically-produced renewable fuels derived from domestically-produced feedstocks, to lead the way in lowering the carbon intensity of American transportation fuels.
While the use of foreign feedstocks can play an important role in producing domestically manufactured ethanol and biodiesel, the rule must make it clear that the tax credit may only apply to biofuels produced from domestic feedstocks. This would be keeping with the two-fold intent of Congress in creating 45Z: 1) support domestic biofuels manufacturing, and 2) utilize domestic feedstocks to lead the way in lowering the carbon intensity of American transportation fuels. This approach marks a deliberate change from the previous Blenders Tax Credit, and it is important that Treasury’s guidance capture this nuance and accurately reflect Congressional intent.
Failure to properly structure the feedstock sustainability criteria associated with 45Z credit will incentivize the use of foreign feedstocks over those from U.S. suppliers, contrary to the intent of Congress. If the guidance fails to establish robust, science-based, sustainability criteria that producers of domestic feedstocks can actually meet, and fails to include guardrails that ensure the credit is only available to renewable fuels made with domestically produced feedstocks, renewable fuel producers will take the path of least resistance and import foreign feedstocks, such as used cooking oil (UCO) from China to produce renewable diesel or Brazilian ethanol as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the U.S. This would reduce the utility of the credit to a manufacturing credit, rather than a credit that supports both manufacturing and feedstock production. This was not the intent of Congress.
One need look no further than the dramatic increase in imports of Chinese UCO and Brazilian tallow, and the current use of Brazilian ethanol in producing SAF to understand the consequences of a failure to properly craft the 45Z tax credit in a manner that supports American feedstocks. This has occurred, in part, because under the current guidance for the 40B tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel, no domestically-produced ethanol is able to achieve the criteria set forth by the Treasury Department. This has unintended and counterproductive consequences.
We are deeply concerned that if the Administration fails to address the current market dynamics of foreign UCO, tallow and ethanol, and Brazilian trade barriers for American ethanol, American agriculture will have a limited role in decarbonizing the transportation system. American agriculture, in search of new and robust markets, has been the chief advocate for biofuels adoption. A poorly constructed rule will deny American farmers the long-anticipated benefit of biofuel adoption, which would be unacceptable.
If more is not done to support the production and utilization of domestic feedstocks, the U.S. will see its renewable fuels industry shift focus from domestically oriented feedstocks towards imports. Allowing U.S. tax credits to fund the importation and use of foreign feedstocks to produce biofuels would put U.S. agriculture at the back of the line, while foreign agricultural producers are subsidized by U.S. taxpayers.
We urge you to issue proposed and subsequently final guidance for 45Z in advance of January 1, 2025. Such a rule should include language that only allows for the distribution of federal tax dollars to renewable fuel made with domestic feedstocks as Congress intended.
Sincerely,
Thus declared a U.S. district court this week as it ruled in favor of plaintiffs — Indiana, 51 other states and territories, and the U.S. Department of Justice — who sued the Big Tech giant over its illegal monopolistic misconduct in connection with its search function and search text advertising.
In Indiana, Attorney General Todd Rokita and his team played a leading role in coordinating the efforts of the plaintiff states litigating with the U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division against Google in this case.
“From day one, I have made clear that my office would not tolerate Big Tech riding roughshod over the rights and interests of everyday Hoosiers,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Once again, we are making good on this commitment. We are holding Google accountable for its illegal and unacceptable practices.”
The court’s decision finds that Google has used exclusive distribution agreements to limit competition for online search services, depriving users of innovative alternatives and enabling Google to charge supracompetitive prices for general search text ads relied upon by many businesses in Indiana and beyond.
Under Attorney General Rokita’s leadership, Indiana — which was one of 11 plaintiff states to join the federal government’s initial monopolization case against Google — continued its efforts to litigate this groundbreaking case from start to finish for the benefit of consumers.
“These companies are not permitted to preserve their market dominance through exclusionary tactics,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Rather, they must compete in the free market to maintain the favor of their customers.”
United States Senator Mike Braun's bills to become law or pass Senate in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) are:
(Became Law) The Federal Prison Oversight Act
- A bill to provide independent oversight to improve conditions for staff and prisoners in federal prisons like Terre Haute.
(Became Law) COVID-19 Origins Act
- A bill that required the intelligence community to declassify important information about the origins of COVID, specifically the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
(Became Law) The Wounded Warrior Access Act
- A bill that streamlines the claims process for veterans with a new online tool, helping those who previously had to get their claims information through the mail or by driving to a regional VA location.
(Became Law) Department of Defense Overdose Data (DOD) Act
- A bill to ensure naloxone and any other medication to reverse opioid overdose is available on all military installations and in each operational environment.
(Became Law) Reforming Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans with Spina Bifida
- A bill to help the children of Vietnam Veterans suffering from spina bifida due to their father’s exposure to Agent Orange get access to medical benefits for the rest of their lives
(Became Law) Administrative Pay-As-You-Go Act
- A bill which requires agencies to propose pay-fors to offset expensive government regulations.
(Passed Senate) VA Home Loan Awareness Act
- A bill to inform veteran homebuyers of their eligibility for the VA Home Loan Program, which helps more veterans achieve the dream of homeownership.
(Passed Senate) Working Dog Health and Welfare Act of 2023
- A bill to improve conditions for dogs used in the detection of explosives, narcotics and patrol duties by federal agencies, by instituting programs that detect abuse and neglect and ensure emergency medical care, food and water, and rest time.
(Passed Senate) Mark Our Place Act
- A bill to provide special headstones upon family request for all veterans who have received the Medal of Honor.
If signed into law, the National Fossil Act will join the following Braun bills signed into law:
BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 118TH CONGRESS (2023-2024).
- Federal Prison Oversight Act
- The COVID-19 Origins Act (Public Law 118-2)
- The Administrative Pay-As-You-Go Act (included in Public Law 118-5)
- Reforming Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans with Spina Bifida (Public Law 118-8)
- The Wounded Warrior Access Act (Public Law 118-21)
- The Korean American VALOR Act (Public Law 118-20)
- The Department of Defense Overdose Data (DOD) Act (Public Law 118-31)
- Supporting the Provision of Veteran Survivor Benefit Plans (Public Law 118-31)
- Flexibility and Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program (Public Law 118-31)
BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 117TH CONGRESS (2021 - 2022):
- Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-67)
- A bill to properly implement the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act (Public Law 117-3)
- The Consider Teachers Act (Public Law No: 117-49)
- The Growing Climate Solutions Act (Public Law 117-328)
- The STREAM Act (Public Law 117-328)
- Small Business Establishment Registration Waiver Act (Public Law 117-328)
- The Make It in America Act (Public Law 117-58)
- The DUMP Opioids Act (Public Law 117-29
- Better ODDS to Reduce Diversion Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-328)
- FREED of Opioids Act (Public Law 117-328)
- The Access for Veterans to Records Act (Public Law 117-328)
- Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act (Public Law 117-328)
- Apply the Science Act (Public Law 117-328)
- The Emergency Use Transparency Act (Public Law 117-328)
- The Recovery Startup Assistance Act (Public Law 117-328)
- Promoting Access to Critical Countermeasures by Ensuring Specimen Samples (ACCESS) to Diagnostics Act (Public Law 117-328)
- Predetermined Change Control Plan Act (Public Law 117-328)
- Protecting Patients from Counterfeit Medical Devices Act (Public Law 117-328)
- The PLUM Act (Public Law 117-328)
BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 116TH CONGRESS (2019 - 2020):
- The Safeguarding Small Business Act
- Healthcare Transparency
- the Whistleblower Act of 2019
- the VA Directly Returning Opioid Prescriptions Act
- the Stop Student Debt Relief Scams Act of 2019
- Restore Harmony Way Bridge Act
- Richard Lugar Post Office Act
- Payment Integrity Information Act
- ALS Disability Insurance Access Act
- OTC Reform
- The Fair Care Act
- Braun Provisions in the WRDA Reauthorization in the OMNI
U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and 46 of his Senate Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden-Harris Administration, protesting its partial arms embargo against Israel. The senators urged the White House to cease accommodating Iran and to deliver the necessary weapons systems to Israel.
“When Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly raised the weapons hold in June, your administration adamantly denied the accusation. You ignored Congressional inquiries, including a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Marshall, a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Ernst, a May 14, 2024, letter from Senator Risch and a June 20, 2024, letter from Senator Cotton. All the while, you were deliberately delaying the delivery of weapons, ammunition, and equipment to Israel. These include 120 mm tank ammunition, 120 mm mortar ammunition, light tactical vehicles, air-to-air missiles, F-15s, F-35 engines, joint direct attack munition kits, 2,000 pound bombs, rifles, and guided missile systems,” the senators wrote.
Full text of the letter may be found here and below:
Dear President Biden:
This weekend, Hezbollah fired Iranian-made missiles into northern Israel, murdering 12 children and injuring dozens in the single deadliest attack on that part of the country since October 7. The ultimate responsibility for this attack rests with Hezbollah and the ayatollahs in Iran. However, while Tehran financed the attack and Hezbollah conducted it, your fear of escalation has left Israel exposed and our enemies emboldened.
We write once again to protest your administration’s partial arms embargo against Israel. The actions of the Biden-Harris administration run counter to our long history of robust military cooperation with Israel and cast doubt upon the reliability of the United States as a long-term security partner. Your actions also violate the will of Congress as expressed in the recent supplemental that funded emergency military support to Israel.
When Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly raised the weapons hold in June, your administration adamantly denied the accusation. You ignored Congressional inquiries, including a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Marshall, a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Ernst, a May 14, 2024, letter from Senator Risch and a June 20, 2024, letter from Senator Cotton. All the while, you were deliberately delaying the delivery of weapons, ammunition, and equipment to Israel. These include 120 mm tank ammunition, 120 mm mortar ammunition, light tactical vehicles, air-to-air missiles, F-15s, F-35 engines, joint direct attack munition kits, 2,000 pound bombs, rifles, and guided missile systems.
While your administration delays, Hamas continues to wage war against Israel, the Houthis continue to attack in the Red Sea, and Hezbollah continues its onslaught in northern Israel. Your stalling tactics are endangering our greatest ally in the Middle East and jeopardizing the lives of our American servicemembers stationed in the region. We urge you to use every available emergency authority to expedite the physical delivery of all weapons and ammunition to Israel that have been approved by Congress.
Your administration must stop accommodating Iran and its terrorist allies now.
U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) applauded unanimous Senate passage of their Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act of 2024. The bipartisan legislation will now head to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The JUDGES Act of 2024 would address judicial emergencies and shortages across the country by increasing the number of federal district judges in the most overworked regions of the country, including the Southern District of Indiana.
“Too many Hoosiers and Americans are being denied access to our justice system due to an overload of cases and a shortage of judges. Our bipartisan bill will help alleviate this shortage and ensure all Americans have the opportunity to have their day in court,” said Senator Young. “Senator Coons and I have worked diligently with our colleagues to ensure this legislation effectively addresses these judicial shortages and fairly distributes the additional judgeships across multiple presidential administrations. The Senate’s unanimous support is a testament to bipartisanship and common-sense legislating. I urge the House to pass this important legislation so that it can become law as soon as possible.”
“I’m grateful the Senate has unanimously passed our bipartisan bill to address the crisis facing overworked federal judges across the country. For decades, Congress has failed to authorize new federal judgeships, creating a massive backlog of case filings for our nation’s federal judges–especially in Delaware, where there are only four active judgeships. I’m proud of the work Senator Young and I did to gather unanimous support for this legislation first in the Senate Judiciary Committee and now on the Senate floor. I urge the House to swiftly pass this bill, and once President Biden signs it into law, I’m hopeful we can restore stability to our judicial system and help ensure access to justice for all Americans, no matter where they live,” said Senator Coons.
Senator Young first introduced the legislation in 2020 and re-introduced it in 2y021 and 2023. The JUDGES Act of 2024, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a unanimous vote in June, would act on the findings in the nonpartisan 2023 Judicial Conference of the United States report by creating the recommended judgeships during future presidential administrations. Additionally, the bipartisan bill includes new transparency requirements and provisions to ensure greater access to justice in certain high-need areas of the country.
Courts across the country are overburdened and facing a shortage of federal judges. As of March 31, 2023, there were 686,797 pending cases in federal district courts across the country, averaging 491 filings per judgeship over a 12-month period. In March of 2023, the Judicial Conference of the United States, a nonpartisan policy-making body for federal courts, recommended that Congress create 66 new district court judgeships, including one in the Southern District of Indiana, to help alleviate this crisis. The Southern District of Indiana would be part of the first tranche of the newly-created judgeships under this bill.
Congress bears the constitutional responsibility of establishing judgeships in the district courts of the United States. However, the last comprehensive authorization of new judgeships, which established 11 additional circuit court judgeships and 74 district court judgeships across America, occurred in 1990. Since then, targeted legislation enacted between 1999 and 2003 created 34 additional district court judgeships. It has now been two decades since Congress last authorized additional district judgeships.
In addition to Senators Young and Coons, Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) also cosponsored the JUDGES Act of 2024.
- Rokita Raisies Awareness For Consumers Of Harmful Household Products Recalled In July
- Indiana Comptroller and Treasurer Applaud Pension Plan’s Fast Action To Divest Assets From China
- Senator Mike Braun's Legislative Accomplishments
- PASSED SENATE: The National Fossil Act To Name The Mastodon America’s Fossil
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