Each year, Growth Energy recognizes the leading congressional staffers who have gone above and beyond to assist and actively engage with the Growth Energy team and our members on a variety of issues that impact the biofuels industry. Growth Energy proudly announced this year’s winners of the Outstanding Congressional Staff awards at the 2026 Growth Energy Biofuels Summit (GEBS) this September.

“It is hard to overstate the value of working and partnering with competent, thoughtful, assertive, responsive congressional staff,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “They are the best of the best congressional staffers on Capitol Hill when it comes to biofuels, and today we are proud to recognize all their hard work over the past year.”

Learn more about this year’s winners below.

Winner – Lacy Pitts, Agriculture Policy Advisor to Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)

Lacy Pitts is the Agriculture Policy Advisor to Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), a senior member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology. She is proud to work on one of the most exciting policy areas in town and deliver agriculture market value back to Kansas farmers and rural communities alongside the Senator. Lacy grew up on a farm in south central Kansas and received her degree in Agriculture Economics from Kansas State University.

Winner – Heath Brandt, Senior Legislative Assistant to Representative Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa)

Heath Brandt serves as Senior Legislative Assistant for Congressman Randy Feenstra from Iowa’s 4^th District, covering the representative’s work on the House Agriculture Committee and House Ways and Means Committee. His previous experience includes Torrey Advisory Group, a multi-client lobbying firm specializing in food and agriculture. A Missouri native with deep roots in agriculture, Heath grew up managing his family’s equine boarding and training facility and working for a purebred angus seedstock operation. Heath is a graduate of the University of Missouri where he studied Agricultural Communications and Agricultural Economics.

Winner – Mikayla Bodey, Policy Director to Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)

Mikayla Bodey serves as the Policy Director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry under Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). Prior to serving under the senator, Mikayla led the committee’s work on energy and rural economic development issues for former Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and has also worked for the offices of Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02) and former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). Mikayla is from Champaign County, Ohio where she grew up on her family farm, and is a graduate of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University, where she holds a degree in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy.

Winner – Eric Dunay, Legislative Director for Representative Sharice Davids (D-Kan.)

Eric Dunay is a Legislative Director for Rep. Sharice Davids from Kansas’ 3^rd District, a member of the House Agriculture Committee. For the past five years, he has advised Rep. Davids on a variety of policies including biofuels and energy and assisted with her introduction of the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. Eric is a graduate of Syracuse University and before joining Rep. Davids’ team, worked on various political campaigns and with two other Democratic offices.

Congratulations to all of our Outstanding Congressional Staff award winners! Thank you for all your hard work, leadership, and partnership over the years.

The post Meet the 2026 Outstanding Congressional Staff Award Winners appeared first on Growth Energy.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor submitted the following letter to the editor in response to a recent WSJ editorial about ethanol and E15.

In a flagrantly misleading May 11 opinion piece, “An Ethanol Extortion Play,” the Wall Street Journal editorial board again makes it clear that it cares more about protecting margins for a few oil refineries than allowing competition at the pump that can protect drivers from volatile global oil prices.

Specifically, the editorial attacks bipartisan efforts in Congress to allow year-round sales of E15. Never mind the fact that E15 reduces emissions that cause smog, or that the U.S. blew past the so-called “blend wall” years ago. Never mind that the vast majority of existing fuel infrastructure can be used for E15 the same way it is for E10, or that E15 is approved for 96% of vehicles on the road today. And never mind that the vast majority of the fuel supply chain—including most refiners and fuel retailers—support the bill to lower gas prices.

Ultimately, the most important point here is one the editorial board completely ignores—E15 sells for less and saves consumers money. If Congress finally approves year-round E15, it doesn’t mandate anything. It allows retailers the choice to offer consumers a lower-cost fuel option.

The Wall Street Journal can play games to confuse people, but it can’t argue with the signs in front of any fuel station offering E15 at a steep discount to E10. Congress should remember that when it votes on year-round E15 this week.

The post E15 Sells for Less and Saves Consumers Money: Growth Energy’s Response to Latest WSJ Editorial on Ethanol appeared first on Growth Energy.