This week the Trump administration reaffirmed its support for the Renewable Fuel Standard. The standard, commonly referred to by its acronym, RFS, mandates that a certain amount of renewable biofuel must be blended with transportation fuel before it is sold to consumers. Pruitt had earlier signaled a possible desire to weaken the RFS, a move which prompted pro-RFS senators like Chuck Grassley to slow down votes for several of President Trump's EPA nominees until their concerns were met.
As progress continues on the Farm Bill, legislators are beginning to introduce so-called "marker bills" to signal the changes that they would like to see in the legislation. These bills are not intended to pass on their own-they are a demonstration of provisions that lawmakers would like to see included in the final Farm Bill. This week Senators Ernst and Stabenow introduced a bipartisan marker bill to strengthen the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, an important part of the Farm Bill's conservation title. The bill has received support from groups ranging from the Nature Conservancy and the Environmental Defense Fund to General Mills and Walmart.
