Yesterday, Bustos voted against an amendment to COVID-19 relief legislation that would open up federal funds to biofuels producers who face unexpected market losses due to the pandemic

When she’s back home in her district, Illinois Democrat Congresswoman Cheri Bustos likes to pretend that she’s fighting for farmers and supporting ethanol, but when she’s voting on legislation in Washington, Bustos sides with Democrats who block much-needed aid for rural America.

Yesterday, Bustos voted against an amendment offered by Illinois Republican Congressman Rodney Davis to COVID-19 relief legislation that would allow producers of ethanol and other biofuels to receive direct federal financial assistance (Amendment #10, Vote #6). The assistance would be available to biofuels producers who face “unexpected market losses as a result of COVID-19.”

Ethanol is critically important to the Illinois and IL-17 economies, creating over 4,000 good-paying, full-time jobs and over $5 billion in economic impact for the state, according to the Illinois Renewable Fuels Association. The pandemic has hit the agricultural economy and biofuels producers hard. Estimates from last year show that roughly half of the ethanol industry shut down due to COVID, destroying huge demand for Illinois corn growers. Biofuels producers have not recovered since, with losses upwards of $10 billion nationwide.

“Cheri ‘Beltway’ Bustos has turned her back on Illinois farmers and the critically-important ethanol industry. It’s no surprise because Bustos always sides with liberal Washington Democrats like Nancy Pelosi who continue to block much-needed aid for rural America. That’s why Pelosi put Bustos in her inner circle. For Bustos, it’s all about her Beltway connections and power – she has sold Illinois farmers out.” – ILGOP Spokesman Joe Hackler 

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