Capitol Notebook: Iowa corn growers frustrated as federal budget excludes year-round E15

Iowa corn growers are expressing frustration toward congressional lawmakers after attempts to pass legislation allowing year-round sales 15 percent corn ethanol blend gasoline, or E15, were omitted from a House funding bill advanced Thursday as farmers in the state grapple with losses in the farm economy.

Instead, lawmakers created the Rural Domestic Energy Council, a task force to study the year-round sale of E15. The commission will be co-chaired by Republican Iowa U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, who is also running for Iowa governor.

Feenstra, who recognized the struggles farmers are facing, said the task force will assemble a package to put before the House by Feb. 25.

“It’s clear the solution lowers gas prices for families, puts more money into farmers’ pockets and supports (President Donald Trump's) mission to make America energy independent again,” Feenstra said.

Iowa Corn Growers Association President Mark Mueller said farmers want markets, not payments.

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“Iowa’s corn growers are frustrated and disappointed that after spending years advocating and sharing the benefits for all Americans that comes with the passage of E15, Congress has again kicked the can down the road,” Mueller said in a statement on Thursday. “We have worked on E15 for years. We already have a bill. We have already come to an agreement with the petroleum industry. There is nothing left to discuss.

“The absence of E15 shows that Congressional Leadership is choosing to side with a handful of non-U.S.-based refineries, rather than the American corn farmer,” he continued.

All four of Iowa’s U.S. Representatives — Feenstra, Zach Nunn, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinson, all Republicans — voted for the funding bill that omitted the year-round E15 provision, but stressed the importance of supporting Iowa’s renewable fuel economy.

In a speech on the U.S. House floor Thursday, Nunn said renewable biofuels save Iowa families money on gas and support 2.4 billion bushels of corn demand.

“Right now, Iowa farmers see this not as an abstract policy but a direct threat,” Nunn said. “This is about demand for their crops, stability for markets, the ability to plan for next season without wondering whether Washington will pull them out of their challenges or pull the rug out from under them by failure to act.”

Miller-Meeks said she’s glad the council to study year-round E15 was formed, but added that Iowa farmers need it as soon as possible.

“I’ve looked Iowa farmers in the eye as they tell me their family farms, their legacies, are at risk. Not because they’re failing, but because Washington keeps moving the goalposts,” Miller-Meeks said in a statement on social media Thursday. “Year-round E15 lowers fuel costs for millions of Americans and secures the future for the farmers who feed and fuel the world.”

Hinson said Iowa’s congressional delegation will be “relentless” in finding available options to establish year-round E15 by the Feb. 25 deadline.

“Advocating for year-round E15 is a top priority of mine. While our farmers are hurting and the ag economy is on the brink, leadership in Washington keeps offering half-measures, excuses, and delays — it’s unacceptable,” Hinson said in a statement on social media Thursday. “Anything short of delivering year-round E15 is a failure by Washington to stand up for Iowa farmers and biofuels producers after years of broken promises and platitudes.”

Miller-Meeks votes for $19M in federal infrastructure funds for southeast Iowa

Republican Iowa U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller Meeks, who represents Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, voted on Thursday to pass a federal appropriations bill that would secure $19 million in infrastructure funding for southeast Iowa.

The vote accompanies the passage of a slate of other federal appropriations bills on Jan. 22.

If the appropriation packages are fully approved by Congress and signed into law, the projects that would receive funding include:

Iowa Supreme Court allows state case against TikTok to move forward

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday that a state lawsuit against the social media company TikTok can move forward.

In a lawsuit led by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, the state is suing TikTok, alleging that it is violating the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act by lying about child safety.

Bird argues that the app lied about its child safety mechanisms by listing a 12-plus age rating on app stores despite the presence of “mature and age-inappropriate content.”

“This win puts all big tech companies that lie to parents and kids about the safety of their platforms on notice — Iowa will hold you accountable. Parents deserve to know the truth about sexual, illegal drug and other dangerous online content. We will protect our children in Iowa," Bird said in a news release Friday.

TikTok previously moved to dismiss the case, arguing that an Iowa district court lacked personal jurisdiction over the company. A district court judge decided against dismissing the case on those grounds, and TikTok appealed that decision.

The Iowa Supreme Court sided with the state, ruling that protections provided by state law apply to companies conducting business within the state, allowing the lawsuit to move forward in district court. The opinion does not rule on the case as a whole.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines bureau