...“As a legislator, no longer do we have the luxury of — if it is a problem, no one is going to figure it out until I am gone from the scene. It is very likely we have to deal with the consequences of our decisions very quickly,” Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) said yesterday.

Global markets and the worldwide demand for food are decreasing “the length of time between the decisionmaking and unintended consequences,” Burgess added.

Burgess, the vice chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, held a briefing on the food vs. fuels issue yesterday for congressional staff, with presentations from both farm groups and critics of the ethanol mandate. He said the issue is complicated and complex and will be one that lawmakers will have “to pay a great deal of attention” to this year.

“This is going to be an ongoing discussion for some time,” Burgess said.

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