US Congress drops provision to end military biofuel development

Science : The US House of Representatives and Senate approved differing versions of a $633 billion Department of Defense spending bill and are now working on finalizing a compromise. The negotiations have led to the dropping of a House provision that would have ended funding for the DOD’s programs to develop biofuels. The provision had been added to the bill by representatives who believe that biofuels are too expensive and that their development should be left to the Department of Energy and the private sector. Members of Congress who opposed the provision argue that increased production will decrease costs and that because the US military is one of the largest fuel users on the planet, it should also contribute to fuel development. The provision was removed when negotiators realized that support in both houses was not strong enough to pass the bill if the provision was left in. However, it is believed that the DOD’s spending on biofuels will continue to be an issue in future Congresses.