National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Vice President of Public Policy Jon Doggett spoke on Capitol Hill today on the importance of the Open Fuel Standard Act. The goal of the legislation is to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. Doggett was joined by U.S. Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS), Ken Salazar (D-CO), and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) who support providing consumers with fuel choice in an effort to save money at the pump.

The Open Fuel Standard Act requires that, starting in 2012, 50 percent of new American automobiles will be flex-fuel vehicles warranted to be operated on gasoline, ethanol, methanol or biodiesel. Legislators want 80 percent of new automobiles to be flex-fuel by 2015.

“The Open Fuel Standard Act is an important piece of legislation,” said NCGA Vice President of Public Policy Jon Doggett. “Flex-fuel vehicles are aptly named because they give consumers a choice. Corn producers are committed to producing more corn on fewer acres using better technology to achieve the goals of the Open Fuel Standard Act. Studies show that the presence of ethanol in the nation’s fuel supply is reducing gas prices by at least 15 percent. Corn ethanol is truly an energy solution.”

A bipartisan team of legislators on the House side introduced legislation similar to the Senate today.

Other event speakers included: Anne Korin, Co-Director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security and representative of the Set America Free Coalition; Daren Coppock, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers; and Gregory Dolan, Vice President for Communications and Policy, of the Methanol Institute.