Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey during a hearing on his nomination.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz has sent Iowa’s governor a letter, to “clarify” why he’s blocking a vote on Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey’s nomination to a post in the U.S.D.A.
Cruz sent notice that he’ll maintain his hold on Northey’s nomination until he gets a meeting with President Trump to discuss the Renewable Fuels Standard. Cruz has cast his move as fair play after Iowa Senator Joni Ernst temporarily blocked a senate committee vote on an EPA nominee.
That happened just as the ag community was lobbying the agency to back off rules that cut the federal production mandate for biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol.
Cruz told Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds in the letter that he wants to “unleash an American energy renaissance” and that’s why he’s taken this stand. Cruz said the Renewable Fuels Standard is leading to “blue collar” job losses at oil refineries. Cruz told Governor Reynolds in his letter that it’s time to find some middle ground on the issue with Iowa corn growers.