By Jason Doyle Oden
Busy week for Senator James Lankford as he deals with Federal Fumbles and troubling reports covering the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, and the passage of the Iran Sanctions Act.
Lankford released this week his second Federal Fumbles report which outlines federal waste and ways to run the government more efficiently saving tax payers money. He is spending Friday in Oklahoma City and Tulsa presenting the Federal Fumbles report to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and the Americans for Prosperity.
The Government Accountability Office released two reports on the Renewable Fuel Standard Program. They indicated the program is not, and would not, meet greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and production could not be ramped up enough to meet increasing targets. Those reports led to a hearing Thursday where Lankford called for the repeal of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program.
“The ethanol Renewable Fuel Standard mandates have been unrealistic from the start, and that is exactly what this week’s GAO report affirmed,” said Lankford. “The EPA’s inability to release ethanol fuel blend requirements has created significant uncertainty and great challenges for blenders and biofuel producers. The RFS program isn’t meeting the greenhouse gas emission goals, it is unsustainable, and it yields few benefits, while it has inflicted substantial costs on consumers. The renewable fuel standard mandate simply doesn’t work. Just like Congress has done with No Child Left Behind education mandates with the passage of Every Student Succeeds Act this year, it is time for Congress to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard mandate.”
A video of Thursday’s hearing is posted below this story.
Another issue Lankford has taken up is the Iran nuclear agreement. The Senate passed the Iran Sanctions Act (HR 6297). The measure extends existing sanctions’ authority on Iran until December 31, 2026. The move could keep Iran from getting the resources to support terrorism or develop weapons of mass destruction.
“I am encouraged that both the House and Senate have reasserted their authority as a co-equal branch of government and demonstrated overwhelming support of the Iran Sanctions Act. There are not many issues on which Congress is united, but it is clear that Republicans and Democrats alike are wary of Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon and consistent support of terrorism around the world. By extending the President’s authority to pressure Iran with crippling sanctions, Congress has ensured the next administration has the appropriate tools at their disposal to rein in the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism—Iran.”
