mr. chairman , i rise in support of the abercrombie amendment . 
what we are engaged in today is just trying to find commonsense suggestions to really sustain the american way of life . 
affordable energy , affordable agriculture are two things that sustain the american way of life . 
this accomplishes good work toward both . 
i will submit more comments for the record . 
but i do want to support the amendment . 
mr. chairman , i rise today in support of the abercrombie amendment . 
this amendment will authorize a modest program to develop ethanol from sugar cane , which would be added to fuel in hawaii to meet the epa clean air act requirements for oxygenated fuels . 
the state of hawaii also mandated a 10 percent ethanol blend for gasoline in the state in order to improve the state 's air quality . 
hawaii must meet federal standards for clean air by mandating clean burning fuel . 
ethanol is currently the only acceptable ingredient to blend with gasoline to meet clean air act requirements . 
unfortunately for hawaii the dominant crop is sugar instead of corn . 
if hawaii grew corn , they would already be receiving tax credits for ethanol production like almost every other state in the nation . 
according to the congressional research service the tax credits for ethanol production will total more than $ 1.4 billion . 
congress annually provides tax credits , research funding and grants to turn rice straw , biomass , agriculture waste , woody debris and corn into ethanol . 
congress is spending billions to increase our nation 's production and consumption of ethanol from every source imaginable . 
congress has decided ethanol production is worthwhile , and has provided at least $ 10 billion in incentives and tax credits since 1978 when an alcohol tax exemption was made law . 
congress should pass this amendment in order to have a consistent ethanol policy . 
mr. chairman , i urge passage of this amendment . 
