Rep. Cheri Bustos | Facebook
Rep. Cheri Bustos | Facebook
U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Peoria) recently voted against an amendment that would have provided financial relief to biofuel producers that have reported significant losses due to the COVID-19 health crisis, according to the Illinois GOP.
“Cheri ‘Beltway’ Bustos has turned her back on Illinois farmers and the critically-important ethanol industry," said Illinois GOP Spokesman Joe Hackler. "It’s no surprise because Bustos always sides with liberal Washington Democrats like Nancy Pelosi who continue to block much-needed aid for rural America. That’s why Pelosi put Bustos in her inner circle. For Bustos, it’s all about her Beltway connections and power – she has sold Illinois farmers out.”
The ethanol biofuel industry is crucial to the Illinois economy, creating over 4,000 local, full-time jobs and it contributes $5 billion in revenue to the state, according to the Illinois Renewable Fuels Association. Estimates from 2020 show that approximately half of the ethanol industry was shut down due to COVID-19, and also led to sharp decreases in demand for corn, devastating Illinois corn growers. The industry reported losses upwards of $10 billion nationwide.
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