WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (Md.) has proposed an amendment that would install an E-85 pump near the Capitol Complex for official vehicles to use. The amendment was included in the Manager’s Amendment to the FY07 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, according to Southern Maryland Online Web site. According to a May 2006 report from the Department of Energy, the District currently has no E-85 stations and Maryland has four. The report quoted Hoyer as saying, “If our nation is to become energy independent, then every American must be a part of the effort, and the government must lead by example. The drastic rise in the price of gasoline has increased interest in promoting alternative fuels. Access to alternative fuels is a major impediment to its use nationally as well. There are more flex-fuel vehicles on the road, but they are running on gasoline because alternative fuel is not available nearby.”