Sen. Cruz: Despite Clear Commitments Made by Administration Officials, Today’s Announcement Will Hurt Blue-Collar Refinery Workers Whose Jobs Are Threatened by High RINs Prices

HOUSTON, Texas - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued a statement following the administration's announcement rolling back regulatory relief for independent and small refineries:

"I am disappointed that the administration intends to roll back the regulatory relief President Trump recently provided to our nation's independent refineries. Despite clear commitments made by administration officials to pursue policies to contain costs, today's announcement will hurt blue-collar refinery workers whose jobs are threatened by high RINs prices. In fact, since the rumors first began that the president's relief for small refineries would be undermined, RINs have skyrocketed by over 150%. Now is not the time to increase regulatory costs and endanger U.S. jobs. Instead, we should be strengthening our economy and working together to implement win-win solutions that benefit both our hardworking corn farmers and refinery workers.

"Ironically, today's decision will also hurt corn farmers. Twice, the administration had agreed to reform proposals that would contain the regulatory burden from RINs and also dramatically increase the amount of corn and ethanol sold each year. One of those proposals-allowing RINs for exports-would have increased ethanol sales by an additional 1.2 billion gallons a year. But ethanol lobbyists-putting the interests of the Washington swamp over the interests of Iowa corn farmers-cynically killed those proposals."

Sen. Cruz will continue to lead the fight to address the skyrocketing price of RINs and advocate for a win-win solution for both corn farmers and blue-collar refinery workers. Earlier this year, Sens. Cruz, John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Pat Toomey (R-Penn.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) urged against rolling back regulatory relief. In April 2018, Sen. Cruz and Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.) participated in a press conference with steel workers from Monroe Energy, Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES), and PBF Energy. In February 2018, Sen. Cruz participated in a town hall in Philadelphia with over 1200 union members at PES whose jobs have been imperiled by rising RINs costs.

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