The amendment's underlying bill was pulled from further consideration when it became snarled in an unrelated controversy over the Confederate flag.
A bi-partisan group of members of the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced legislation that would end the ethanol mandate, following a similar measure introduced in the U.S. Senate in late February.
Two U.S. Senators have introduced bipartisan legislation that would repeal a renewable fuel mandate that requires refiners to blend ethanol in the nation's fuel supply.
Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) have reintroduced a bipartisan bill that would allow liquefied natural gas (LNG) to better compete with diesel with taxation based on energy output rather than per gallon.
Total U.S. biodiesel consumption fell to 1.75 billion gallons in 2014, down slightly from nearly 1.8 billion gallons in 2013, according to data released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Rep. Bill Shuster, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said that one of his 2015 priorities will be a highway bill – but he does not expect it to be funded by a fuel tax increase, the AP reported.
The federal budget package approved by the U.S. House and U.S. Senate includes a 50 percent increase in funding for a clean air program that reduces emissions from older diesel powered engines, vehicles, and equipment.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014, which includes an amendment extending the federal 50-cent per gallon alternative fuels excise tax credits through the remainder of 2014, even though the credits had previously expired at the end of 2013.
Vermont U.S. Rep. Peter Welch recently announced legislation that would increase the size of a tax credit for purchasing electric vehicles (EVs).
A federal bill introduced in late January would authorize the U.S. Postal Service to use energy savings performance contracts to improve the efficiency of its fleet of delivery vehicles.