Ethanol industry faces key vote in Senate on ending tax credit

Des Moines Register 11:36 PM, Apr. 6, 2011 Written by: PHILIP BRASHER

Washington, D.C. — The ethanol industry faces a critical test vote in the Senate.

A measure being pushed by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., to eliminate a 45 cent-per-gallon tax credit for ethanol is given little chance of getting the 67 votes required to add it to a pending small business bill.

But the bill will be a test of support for ethanol in the Senate, and a strong majority could signal that the subsidy can't survive a future vote when a smaller margin would be needed. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Ia., says it is important to keep support for Coburn's measure under 60 votes.

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