¶ Overview
Despite claiming to support Michigan farmers, John James failed Michigan farmers and failed to include year-round E15 in a federal funding package. In January 2026, James voted for a federal spending package that created an E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council in lieu of meaningful legislation to enact year-round E15. The National Corn Growers Association called the decision “weak and offensive” and warned it would neglect 500,000 American corn farmers. The Michigan Corn Growers Association slammed the vote as the U.S. House choosing to “kick the can down the road […] when we already have legislation that was crafted after months of negotiation.” The biofuel trade group Growth Energy noted that failure to pass year-round E15 would “lead to farmers missing out on a critical market during the worst farm crisis in 40 years.” The Renewable Fuels Association emphasized the critical need of year-round E15 to support hard-hit farmers and lower gas prices.
¶ John James Failed To Get Year-Round E15 Included In A Federal Funding Package And Settled For An E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council In Lieu Of Actually Helping Michigan Farmers
¶ Despite Claiming To Support Michigan Farmers, James Failed To Include Year-Round E15 In The Government Spending Package
¶ James Voted For A Government Spending Package That Included An E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council In Lieu Of Year-Round E15
January 2026: James Voted For The $1.8 Trillion FY 2026 Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, And Transportation-HUD Appropriations. In January 2026, James voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the bill, as amended, that would provide about $1.18 trillion in overall funding for Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD divisions. The Defense portion of the bill would provide approximately $839.2 billion for the Department of Defense, including $13.4 billion for the so-called ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system. The Labor, Health and Human Services and Related Agencies division of the package would provide roughly $221 billion in discretionary spending, including about $13.5 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Labor and $116.5 billion for HHS. The package also would provide $79 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education and $12.3 billion for the Social Security Administration operating budget. The Transportation, House and Urban Development and Related Agencies portion of the package would provide about $102.9 billion in discretionary funding, including $25.1 billion for the Transportation Department. $77.3 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It also would extend certain health care programs and renew lapsed trade preferences for Haiti and sub-Saharan African nations.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 341 to 88. [House Vote 45, 1/22/26; Congressional Quarterly, 1/22/26; Congressional Actions, H.R. 7148; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 375]
- January 2026: Midwestern Republicans Failed To Include A Year-Round E15 In A Government Appropriations Package. According to Politico, “Midwestern Republicans failed last week in an effort to push House GOP leaders to include year-round E15 in a government funding package due for passage by the end of January. Leaders demurred and instead established a rural energy working group that will aim to find a deal between ethanol and oil interests in the next month.” [Politico, 1/27/26]
- January 2026: Once The U.S. House Teed Up A Vote On A Funding Bill, Lawmakers Did Not Include An Amendment To Allow For The Sale Of E15 Year-Round, Despite Midwestern Lawmakers Claiming To Advocate For More Ethanol In Gasoline. According to The Hill, “The House on Thursday rebuffed — at least for now — efforts to allow for more ethanol in gasoline year-round as Midwestern lawmakers pushed for more use of the fuel. Some lawmakers, particularly from the Midwest, sought to include legislation that would allow sales of gasoline with higher ethanol content all year in a funding bill. However, when the lower chamber teed up a vote on the funding bill on Thursday, it did not include an amendment from Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) to allow for the sales of this kind of gasoline, known as E15.” [The Hill, 1/22/26]
- The Spending Package Created An E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council Rather Than Allowing Year-Round Sales Of E15 In The Bill Or Advancing Legislation That Achieved The Same Goal. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The House removed ethanol as an obstacle to passage of fiscal 2026 appropriations bills on Thursday, but lawmakers didn’t advance a separate bill that would allow more of the grain-based fuel additive to be mixed with gasoline. After the House Rules Committee hastily scheduled what advocates hoped would be a Thursday markup of a separate ethanol bill (HR 1346) and amid talk that leaders might try to squeeze a floor vote in the same day, lawmakers didn’t take either step.” [Congressional Quarterly, 1/22/26]
- Top GOP Lawmakers Failed To Include $15 Billion In Farm Aid. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Top GOP lawmakers had urged party leaders to tack $15 billion in farm aid onto the final batch of appropriations bills, but their pleas went unanswered. Now, House Agriculture ranking member Angie Craig, D-Minn., has released a draft $17 billion farm aid bill, slightly outdoing that Republican bid.” [Congressional Quarterly, 1/22/26]
¶ James Effectively Voted To Establish An E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council Instead Of Passing Year-Round E15
January 2026: James Effectively Voted To Establish An E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council. In January 2026, James voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, the rule that “…would deem as adopted a resolution (H Res 375), as amended by a substitute amendment, that would establish a House E-15 Rural Domestic Energy Council, comprised of members appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to develop legislation dealing with E15, or gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol content; biofuels mandates under the Renewable Fuel Standard; refinery capacity; regulatory burdens facing the industry and more.” The vote was on the rule. The House agreed to the rule by a vote of 214 to 213. [House Vote 41, 1/22/26; Congressional Quarterly, 1/22/26; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 1014; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 375]
- The U.S. House Created The Council Rather Than Adding A Provision In The Appropriations Bill Allowing Year-Round Sales Of E15 Or Advancing A Bill With The Same Purpose. According to E&E News, “House Speaker Mike Johnson’s move to create a congressional rural energy council — rather than advance legislation this week boosting ethanol — is prompting a stern backlash from the biofuel industry. The ethanol trade group Growth Energy on Thursday called the gesture a ‘disgrace,’ adding that the panel to be appointed by the Louisiana Republican is likely to give the petroleum industry more say in policies meant to give crop-based fuels a bigger chunk of the transportation energy market. House leaders announced the council in a scramble after turning away a proposal by pro-biofuel Republicans to expand sales of higher-ethanol fuel through an annual appropriations bill heading to a vote Thursday.” [E&E News, 1/23/26]
¶ James Claimed He Would “Protect Michigan Agriculture And Continue To Have Our Farmers Backs”
2025: James Recognized Agriculture Was The Second Largest Industry In Michigan And Claimed He Would “Protect Michigan Agriculture And Continue To Have Our Farmers Backs.” According to John James’ Twitter, “Agriculture is the #2 largest industry in the state of Michigan. Michigan’s farmers don’t just feed us: they drive our economy. Michigan’s farmers deserve leaders who prioritize their needs. I backed President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill to eliminate the death tax and cut red tape for 2 million family farms. As your next Governor, I’ll protect Michigan agriculture and continue to have our farmers backs.”
[Twitter, @JohnJamesMI, 7/11/25]
¶ Corn Growers And Biofuels Organizations Scrutinized The U.S. House And Slammed The Council As “Weak And Offensive,” And Noted The Critical Need Of Year-Round E15 During A Farm Crisis
¶ The National Corn Growers Association Called The Decision “Weak And Offensive” And The Michigan Corn Growers Association Argued The U.S. House Chose To “Kick The Can Down The Road”
National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower Said They Were “Furious” And Called The Decision To Create A Council “Weak And Offensive,” Highlighting How The Council Was A “Process-Ridden Task Force That Kicks The Can Down The Road Once Again” And Neglected 500,000 American Corn Farmers. According to Michigan Farm News, “Earlier this week, National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower said his organization was ‘furious’ about the bill and sharply criticized the formation of an E15 council. ‘Corn growers are disgusted, disappointed and disillusioned that after spending years of calling for passage of E15, Congress has again punted, and it has done so in a spectacularly weak and offensive way,’ Bower wrote. ‘Bizarrely, members of Congress are now planning to establish a rural energy council to explore this legislation as if we are in the beginning stages of discussing E15. We already have a bill. We already have an agreement with the petroleum industry after months of negotiation. But instead of acting, Congress is now suggesting a process-ridden task force that kicks the can down the road once again. Congress is choosing to leave America’s 500,000 corn farmers behind in favor of a handful of refineries.’” [Michigan Farm News, 1/23/26]
- The Council Would Require A Vote On E15 Legislation By February 25th, But The National Corn Growers Association Called The Decision “Weak And Offensive.” According to Congressional Quarterly, “House GOP leaders also made a concession in the rule to farm-state members in the form of a proposal to create a ‘rural domestic energy council’ aimed at developing E15 legislation by Feb. 15 for a vote by Feb. 25. For some in the industry, however, that promise isn't enough. ‘Corn growers are disgusted, disappointed and disillusioned that after spending years of calling for passage of E15, Congress has again punted, and it has done so in a spectacularly weak and offensive way,’ National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower said in a statement.” [Congressional Quarterly, 1/22/26]
The Michigan Corn Growers Association Expressed Disappointment In The Vote To Establish A Council In Lieu Of Enacting Year-Round E15, Saying The U.S. House Chose To “Kick The Can Down The Road […] When We Already Have Legislation That Was Crafted After Months Of Negotiation.” According to a press release from the Michigan Corn Growers Association, “The House voted Jan. 22 to advance a funding bill that omits language that would allow consumers across the country to have year-round access to fuels with a 15% corn ethanol blend, often referred to as E15. Michigan Corn Growers Association President John Delmotte issued the following statement: ‘Michigan corn growers are deeply disappointed that the House omitted language that would have allowed year-round access to E15 from its funding bill. Choosing to kick the can down the road by establishing a task force when we already have legislation that was crafted after months of negotiation between corn growers and the petroleum industry is an unsatisfactory outcome. ‘We want to thank our members who took the time to reach out to their Senators and Representatives and explain how critical this legislation is for Michigan’s corn farmers. We also want to thank the members of Michigan’s Congressional delegation who went to bat for farmers in behind-the-scenes negotiations. The Michigan and National Corn Growers Associations will continue to explore additional avenues to get this important legislation across the finish line.’” [Press Release – Michigan Corn Growers Association, 1/22/26]
¶ Biofuel Trade Group Growth Energy Noted That Failure To Pass Year-Round E15 Would “Lead To Farmers Missing Out On A Critical Market During The Worst Farm Crisis In 40 Years”
Biofuel Trade Group Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor Called The Vote A “Disgrace” And Noted That Failure To Pass Year-Round E15 Would “Lead To Farmers Missing Out On A Critical Market During The Worst Farm Crisis In 40 Years.” According to Michigan Farm News, “Two of the nation’s largest biofuel groups are blasting Congress for dropping the ball on a legislative fix for nationwide year-round sales of E15 fuel containing 15% American-made ethanol. Instead of including the measure in the January government spending bill, lawmakers once again punted and instead formed a ‘Rural Energy Council’ tasked with formulating a new bill to be voted on in February. ‘Congress picked foreign refiners over American farmers and drivers,’ said Emily Skor, CEO of biofuel trade group Growth Energy. She called the council ‘a disgrace’ and noted that E15’s cost savings for consumers and key role in creating long-term demand for American agriculture are well established facts in the more than decade-long debate over allowing drivers to purchase E15 year-round. ‘Failure to act will now lead to farmers missing out on a critical market during the worst farm crisis in 40 years,’ Skor added.” [Michigan Farm News, 1/23/26]
¶ The Renewable Fuels Association Emphasized The Critical Need Of Year-Round E15 To Support Hard-Hit Farmers And Lower Gas Prices
Renewable Fuels Association President Geoff Cooper Slammed The U.S. House For Letting Year-Round E15 “Slip Away” And Argued That The Federal Funding Package Was “Undoubtedly Congress’ Best Opportunity To Open A Critical New Market For Hard-Hit Farmers And Deliver Lower Gas Prices.” According to Michigan Farm News, “Renewable Fuels Association President Geoff Cooper expressed frustration over the fact that ag and biofuel groups were under the impression that lawmakers planned to include the E15 provision in the bill language. ‘We already have a compromise deal that is broadly supported by ethanol producers, farmers, large oil refiners, several small oil refiners, fuel retailers, and many other stakeholders, but lawmakers appear to be letting it slip away,’ he said. ‘The current appropriations process was undoubtedly Congress’ best opportunity to open a critical new market for hard-hit farmers and deliver lower gas prices to American families. It is unfathomable to us that just a handful of mid-sized oil refiners, including foreign-owned companies, were apparently able to blow the whole thing up.’” [Michigan Farm News, 1/23/26]