WASHINGTON  -  U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) today voted to expand energy production throughout the nation, especially using agricultural products to create fuel and relieve American dependence on foreign sources of oil. With her vote, H.R. 5254, the Refinery Process Schedule Act, passed in the House of Representatives by a final tally of 238-179.

"Clearly the need for American refineries has grown in the last 30 years, yet no new U.S. oil refineries have been built. We must explore the reasons for the lack of new facilities and work to streamline the permit process. This is especially true when biofuels, ethanol and new alternative fuels are concerned," Emerson said. "America must possess the infrastructure to blend home-grown fuels from our fields with petroleum products to reduce our reliance on foreign sources of oil. Potential American use of ethanol and biofuels is astronomical, and our Southern Missouri producers are primed to play a major role in that market. This legislation would enable biofuels to reach the American fuel market at a critical time when government red tape is affecting the American family’s bottom line."

H.R. 5254, the Refinery Permit Process Schedule Act, does the following:

– Establishes a federal coordinator to bring together all U.S. government agencies responsible for issuing permits, to help the permitting process move as quickly as possible

– Gives priority in scheduling coordination to the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that the stringent environmental standards governing refinery creation are met

– Eliminates unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy in the permitting process