On Friday morning, I had the chance to talk on the phone with Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa. We talked about two main topics:
Audio: Full Interview with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst
Efforts on flood recovery are continuing in the Missouri River valley. Even with the holes patched in the levies, there is still much to do. Senator Ernst talked about two bills she is working to get through Congress in hopes of getting flood control back to the top of priorities for the Army Corps of Engineers.
We also discussed the status of the Renewable Fuels Standard. The Environmental Protection Agency has been lambasted for the granting of small refinery exemptions (SRE’s). The Senator says she has been in contact with President Trump, USDA Secretary Perdue, and the EPA to get this fixed and get gallons reallocated. She says farmers and producers in the midwest are angry and they should be. She said granting blending waivers to Exxon, Chevron, and Mobil is not what these hardship exemptions are intended for.
