Manchin Applauds Historic Vote to End Ethanol Subsidies, Reduce Food Costs and Lower the Deficit
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) issued the following statement about the Senate’s historic vote today to end massive ethanol subsidies, reducing food costs and redirecting the subsidies to reduce the deficit. The measure passed, 73-27.
“As I made clear earlier this week, these subsidies just don’t make sense, and today’s vote is a victory for common sense. Families in West Virginia and across this nation are watching every penny, so I am encouraged that the Senate voted today on this measure to stop providing costly ethanol subsidies that do not even reduce gas prices and actually jack up food costs and grocery bills – it just doesn’t make commonsense in this tough economy,” Senator Manchin said. “We took a step toward putting our fiscal house in order at a time when this country is facing a death spiral of debt.
“Now that the Senate has taken this important step, it is time to craft a responsible energy plan that uses all of our vast domestic resources – like natural gas, coal, wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and biofuels – without unaffordable subsidies. At a time of exploding deficits and skyrocketing debt, our country must have commonsense priorities. When it comes to energy, whether it’s ethanol or oil subsidies, we should consider providing government aid and creating a hard floor for subsidies only when the market price falls below production costs.”
Senator Manchin was one of only a handful of Democrats to vote this week in favor of another measure that would have also ended the subsidies.
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