i rise today in strong support of h.r. 6 , the energy policy act . 
we need a balanced energy policy in this country , and this bill takes great strides towards achieving that balance . 
as a founding co-chair of the house ag energy users caucus , i am concerned that the corn belt is being held hostage to high gas , diesel and natural gas prices . 
farmers utilize diesel and gasoline to operate their equipment and transport their product . 
farmers have had to tighten their belts as prices have increased . 
therefore , i am in strong support of this energy bill that allows for exploration in the arctic national wildlife reserve ( anwr ) , which will allow for more domestic supply of oil . 
nothing has caused more concern for agriculture than the price of natural gas . 
natural gas is the primary feedstock for anhydrous ammonia and other fertilizers and accounts for 90 percent of the cost of making nitrogen fertilizer . 
the surge in natural gas prices over the last 4 years has been a key reason why nitrogen fertilizer costs have jumped by nearly 50 percent at the farm level . 
this rise in prices has contributed to the growing reliance on imported fertilizer . 
for that reason , i am in strong support of the natural gas provisions in this bill and would urge members to oppose amendments that would weaken any natural gas provisions in the bill . 
finally madam chairman , most of my colleagues know that iowa is not only a consumer of energy , but a producer of energy . 
the fifth district of iowa is an energy export center , exporting ethanol and biodiesel all across this nation . 
this bill includes a 5 billion gallon renewable fuels standard that will be good for our energy independence while securing rural economies . 
however , i want to see the bill come back from conference with an 8 billion gallon standard . 
i urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the energy policy act . 
