{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-recognized-as-champion-for-biofuels", "Grassley Recognized as Champion for Biofuels", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "IA", "Chuck Grassley", "G000386", "www.grassley.senate.gov", "grassley", "https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, accepted Growth Energy\u2019s 2026 \u201cFueling Growth Award\u201d for his leadership on biofuels and his ongoing support for America\u2019s family farmers and biofuel producers.\n\n\u201cAs a lifelong Iowa corn and soybean farmer, I know firsthand how important our homegrown biofuels are for our national security, our pocketbooks and our environment. Biofuels are good, good, good. That\u2019s why I\u2019m continuing to fight tirelessly to get year-round, nationwide E15 over the finish line,\u201d Grassley said. \u201cI\u2019m proud to be a strong voice for Iowa biofuels at the policymaking tables in Washington.\u201d\n\nSenator Grassley accepts the 2026 \"Fueling Growth Award\" from members of Growth Energy, including Iowa family farmer and biofuels advocate Bill Couser.\n\nDownload photo HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nGrassley helped establish the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and conducts oversight to ensure the executive branch appropriately implements the program.\n\nGrassley also met with the National Oilseed Association yesterday to discuss the RFS. The group presented Grassley with an award recognizing him as a Champion of Agriculture.\n\nGrassley has championed E15 in the Senate for over 15 years:\n\nApril 2026: Spoke on the Senate floor to support Iowa\u2019s Members of Congress for fighting for family farmers on E15 and the Farm Bill.\n\nMarch 2026: Spoke at an Agriculture Committee hearing in strong support of E15.\n\nJanuary 2026: Wrote an op-ed praising President Trump\u2019s support for legislation allowing for the year-round, nationwide sale of E15.\n\nSeptember 2025: Received Growth Energy\u2019s 2025 \u201cFueling Growth Award\u201d for his efforts to support biofuel production.\n\nOctober 2025: Called for any legislation that includes ad hoc payments to farmers to also include E15.\n\nAugust 2025: Introduced the bipartisan Ethanol for America Act to make it easier for Americans to fuel their vehicles with homegrown E15.\n\nApril 2025: Joined a bipartisan letter urging President Trump to permit the nationwide sale of E15 fuel through the 2025 summer driving season and beyond.\n\nFebruary 2025: Reintroduced the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act with Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a congressional proposal to allow for E15 sales year-round and nationwide.\n\nApril 2024: Welcomed the EPA\u2019s emergency fuel waiver permitting nationwide E15 sales for the summer 2024 driving season.\n\nFebruary 2024: Applauded the EPA\u2019s decision to approve a petition from eight Midwestern governors to permanently authorize year-round E-15 sales in their states.\n\nDecember 2023: Pushed the EPA to quickly finalize a summertime waiver, helping retailers prepare for summer 2024 sales.\n\nApril 2023: Issued a statement on the EPA\u2019s decision to permit nationwide E15 sales for the summer 2023 driving season.\n\nApril 2023: Sent a letter urging President Joe Biden to issue an emergency waiver allowing for the summertime sale of E15.\n\nMarch 2023: Reintroduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act with Fischer and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).\n\nNovember 2022: Introduced legislation to expand the year-round sale of E15 nationwide, extending the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) volatility waiver to ethanol blends above 10%.\n\nMarch 2022: Sent a letter urging President Biden to permit the year-round sale of E15 fuel to restore American energy independence.\n\nApril 2021: Introduced the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act requiring the EPA to finalize its proposed rule removing certain barriers to expanded sales of E15.\n\nJuly 2021: Reintroduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act with Fischer and Klobuchar.\n\nMay 2019: Led the effort to encourage the first Trump administration to approve year-round E15.\n\nMarch 2019: Praised the EPA\u2019s proposed rule allowing the year-round sale of E15.\n\nFebruary 2019: Reintroduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act.\n\nJanuary 2019: Received the E15 award from the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Alongside Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) for championing year-round sales of E15.\n\nOctober 2018: Released a video statement in support of the EPA beginning the process of allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline.\n\nMarch 2017: Introduced the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act.\n\nOctober 2018: Authored an op-ed with Ernst in support of year-round E15.\n\nMarch 2015: Introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act to remove the EPA\u2019s impediments to market competition and innovation in the transportation fuel market.\n\nJanuary 2011: Praised EPA\u2019s decision to expand eligibility for its E15 waiver.\n\nOctober 2010: Welcomed the EPA\u2019s decision first authorizing E15 usage.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-recognized-as-champion-for-biofuels"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6635360661894083, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}