Governors' Ethanol Coalition

Via facsimile 501-682-1382

The Honorable Mike Huckabee
Governor's Office
250 State Capitol
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

Dear Governor Huckabee:

I would like to report to you on my meeting Tuesday with Chairman Tauzin who chairs the Energy Conference Committee. First, the meeting went very well, and Chairman Tauzin was eager to hear the governors' position on the renewable fuel standard.

The Chairman seemed quite optimistic that Congress would act on the energy bill before it adjourns in October, in large part, because so many of the sections of the bill ¾ such as the ethanol provisions ¾ were created in a bipartisan, cooperative environment. He also said that the committee hoped to address the ethanol provisions by the end of this week. I told the chairman how important the renewable fuel standard is to our states, and asked that the committee adopt the Senate version of the ethanol provisions with no modifications.

As you know, political work is seldom done until the final vote is cast. If members of your congressional delegation serve on the Energy Conference Committee, a note or call from you thanking them or urging their support for the renewable fuel standard would be appropriate at this time. There still could be changes proposed in the ethanol section, so you should ask your representative to support those ethanol provisions approved by the Senate. I have attached a list of Energy Conference Committee members.

I was honored to represent you at this important meeting with Chairman Tauzin, and wish to thank you, Governor Holden, and Governor Hoeven for all your thoughtful support for this landmark ethanol legislation.

Sincerely,

Mike Johanns Governor of Nebraska and
Past Chair, Governors’ Ethanol Coalition

attachment:

House-Senate Conferees Energy Bill (H.R. 4)

Bold denotes GEC members

Senate
Democrats
Jeff Bingaman New Mexico
Ernest Hollings South Carolina
Max Baucus Montana
John Kerry Massachusetts
Jay Rockefeller West Virginia
John Breaux Louisiana
Harry Reid Nevada
Joe Lieberman Connecticut
Jim Jeffords Vermont

Republicans
Frank Murkowski Alaska
Pete Domenici New Mexico
Chuck Grassley Iowa
Don Nickles Oklahoma
Trent Lott Mississippi
Larry Craig Idaho
Ben N. Campbell Colorado
Craig Thomas Wyoming

House
Democrats
John Dingell Michigan
Rick Boucher Virginia
Henry Waxman California
Edward Markey Massachusetts
Bart Gordon Tennessee
Bobby Rush Illinois
Ralph Hall Texas
Jerry Costello Illinois
Lynn Woolsey California
Nick Rahall California
George Miller California
Charles Rangel New York
John LaFalce New York
James Oberstar Minnesota
Robert Borski Pennsylvania
Peter Defazio Oregon
Charles Stenholm Texas
Ike Skelton Missouri
Dennis Moore Kansas

Republicans
Billy Tauzin Louisiana
Michael Bilirakis Florida
Joe Barton Texas
Fred Upton Michigan
Cliff Stearns Florida
Paul Gilmore Ohio
Richard Burr North Carolina
Tom Delay Texas
Bob Stump Arizona
Curt Weldon Pennsylvania
Larry Combest Texas
Frank Lucas Oklahoma
Jim Nussle Iowa
Gil Gutknecht Minnesota
Howard McKeon California
Charles Norwood Georgia
Mike Oxley Ohio
Marge Roukema New Jersey
Jim Sensenbrenner Wisconsin
Lamar Smith Texas
Jim Hanson Utah
Barbara Cubin Wyoming
Sherry Boehlert New York
Roscoe Bartlett Maryland
Don Young Alaska
Thomas Petri Wisconsin
Bill Thomas California
Jim McCrery Louisiana