From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Is ethanol doing more harm than good?

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Under federal law since 2007, gasoline in America has been blended with more and more corn-based

ethanol every year. President Obama has been a major supporter, but today, for the first time,

his Environmental Protection Agency will reduce the mandate. A political explosion is already underway in Washington,

pitting corn producers against an unlikely alliance, including oil companies and environmentalists.

Is ethanol failing to clean up the air after all? Is excessive corn production threatening

the environment? What's likely for the price of gasoline? Today's talking point, China's leadership boldly proclaims a new era.

First, there's the news.

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Program Fund. Hello again, Mormon, I'll be back with To the Point. The Midwestern Corn Lobby is seeing its worst nightmare made real today. The Environmental Protection Agency is reducing the amount of corn-based ethanol in gasoline for the first time. That's a victory for oil companies and even some environmentalists. What about reducing air pollution? What will it mean for the price of gasoline?

Today's talking point, major reforms have been announced in China, including an end to the limit of one child for one family.

How long will it take for new policies to make a difference? First, this news update, 39 House Democrats bucked party leaders today and voted along with Republicans to change the Affordable Care Act. The bill which passed would allow individuals to buy insurance policies that don't meet Obamacare standards. It faces a presidential veto. David Lightman reports on Congress for the McClatchie newspapers. Always good to have you with us. Thank you. How does this differ from what the president announced himself yesterday?

As I understand it, the president's fixes the year this would go on. That's one difference,

and I think it's the key difference.

One year, so people who have policies now that they alike, as the president so famously said,

...