A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for farmers and the producers of biodiesel, and for other purposes.

Summary: Biodiesel Renewable Fuels Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow a tax credit of between 3 and 20 cents per gallon for soy or specified vegetable based biodiesel fuel mixtures; and (2) make corresponding reductions to motor fuel excise taxes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; ETC.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Biodiesel 
Renewable Fuels Act''.
    (b) Amendment of 1986 Code.--Except as otherwise expressly 
provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in 
terms of an amendment to or a repeal of a section or other provision, 
the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other 
provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

SEC. 2. CREDIT FOR BIODIESEL USED AS FUEL.

    (a) In General.--Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
(relating to business related credits) is amended by inserting after 
section 40 the following new section:

``SEC. 40A. BIODIESEL USED AS FUEL.

    ``(a) General Rule.--For purposes of section 38, the biodiesel 
fuels credit determined under this section for the taxable year is an 
amount equal to the biodiesel mixture credit.
    ``(b) Definition of Biodiesel Mixture Credit.--For purposes of this 
section--
            ``(1) Biodiesel mixture credit.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The biodiesel mixture credit of 
                any taxpayer for any taxable year is the sum of the 
                products of the biodiesel mixture rate for each blend 
                of qualified biodiesel mixture and the number of 
                gallons of the blend of the taxpayer for the taxable 
                year.
                    ``(B) Biodiesel mixture rate.--For purposes of 
                subparagraph (A), the biodiesel mixture rate shall be--
                            ``(i) the applicable amount for a B-1 
                        blend,
                            ``(ii) 3.0 cents for a B-2 blend, and
                            ``(iii) 20.0 cents for a B-20 blend.
                    ``(C) Blends.--For purposes of this paragraph--
                            ``(i) B-1 blend.--The term `B-1 blend' 
                        means a qualified biodiesel mixture if at least 
                        0.5 percent but less than 2.0 percent of the 
                        mixture is biodiesel.
                            ``(ii) B-2 blend.--The term `B-2 blend' 
                        means a qualified biodiesel mixture if at least 
                        2.0 percent but less than 20 percent of the 
                        mixture is biodiesel.
                            ``(iii) B-20 blend.--The term `B-20 blend' 
                        means a qualified biodiesel mixture if at least 
                        20 percent of the mixture is biodiesel.
                    ``(D) Applicable amount.--For purposes of this 
                paragraph, the term `applicable amount' means, in the 
                case of a B-1 blend, the amount equal to 1.5 cents 
                multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the 
                percentage of biodiesel in the B-1 blend and the 
                denominator of which is 1 percent.
            ``(2) Qualified biodiesel mixture.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `qualified biodiesel 
                mixture' means a mixture of diesel and biodiesel 
                which--
                            ``(i) is sold by the taxpayer producing 
                        such mixture to any person for use as a fuel; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) is used as a fuel by the taxpayer 
                        producing such mixture.
                    ``(B) Sale or use must be in trade or business, 
                etc.--Biodiesel used in the production of a qualified 
                biodiesel mixture shall be taken into account--
                            ``(i) only if the sale or use described in 
                        subparagraph (A) is in a trade or business of 
                        the taxpayer; and
                            ``(ii) for the taxable year in which such 
                        sale or use occurs.
                    ``(C) Casual off-farm production not eligible.--No 
                credit shall be allowed under this section with respect 
                to any casual off-farm production of a qualified 
                biodiesel mixture.
    ``(c) Coordination With Exemption From Excise Tax.--The amount of 
the credit determined under this section with respect to any biodiesel 
shall, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, be properly 
reduced to take into account any benefit provided with respect to such 
biodiesel solely by reason of the application of section 4041(n) or 
section 4081(f).
    ``(d) Definitions and Special Rules.--For purposes of this 
section--
            ``(1) Biodiesel defined.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `biodiesel' means the 
                monoalkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from 
                vegetable oils for use in compressional-ignition 
                (diesel) engines. Such term shall include esters 
                derived from vegetable oils from corn, soybeans, 
                sunflower seeds, cottonseeds, canola, crambe, 
                rapeseeds, safflowers, flaxseeds, and mustard seeds.
                    ``(B) Registration requirements.--Such term shall 
                only include a biodiesel which meets the registration 
                requirements for fuels and fuel additives established 
                by the Environmental Protection Agency under section 
                211 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545).
            ``(2) Biodiesel mixture not used as a fuel, etc.--
                    ``(A) Imposition of tax.--If--
                            ``(i) any credit was determined under this 
                        section with respect to biodiesel used in the 
                        production of any qualified biodiesel mixture, 
                        and
                            ``(ii) any person--
                                    ``(I) separates the biodiesel from 
                                the mixture, or
                                    ``(II) without separation, uses the 
                                mixture other than as a fuel,
                        then there is hereby imposed on such person a 
                        tax equal to the product of the biodiesel 
                        mixture rate applicable under subsection 
                        (b)(1)(B) and the number of gallons of the 
                        mixture.
                    ``(B) Applicable laws.--All provisions of law, 
                including penalties, shall, insofar as applicable and 
                not inconsistent with this section, apply in respect of 
                any tax imposed under subparagraph (A) as if such tax 
                were imposed by section 4081 and not by this chapter.
            ``(3) Pass-thru in the case of estates and trusts.--Under 
        regulations prescribed by the Secretary, rules similar to the 
        rules of subsection (d) of section 52 shall apply.
    ``(e) Election To Have Biodiesel Fuels Credit Not Apply.--
            ``(1) In general.--A taxpayer may elect to have this 
        section not apply for any taxable year.
            ``(2) Time for making election.--An election under 
        paragraph (1) for any taxable year may be made (or revoked) at 
        any time before the expiration of the 3-year period beginning 
        on the last date prescribed by law for filing the return for 
        such taxable year (determined without regard to extensions).
            ``(3) Manner of making election.--An election under 
        paragraph (1) (or revocation thereof) shall be made in such 
        manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe.''
    (b) Credit Treated as Part of General Business Credit.--Section 
38(b) is amended by striking ``plus'' at the end of paragraph (14), by 
striking the period at the end of paragraph (15) and inserting ``, 
plus'', and by adding at the end the following:
            ``(16) the biodiesel fuels credit determined under section 
        40A.''
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 39(d) is amended by adding at the end the 
        following:
            ``(11) No carryback of biodiesel fuels credit before 
        january 1, 2003.--No portion of the unused business credit for 
        any taxable year which is attributable to the biodiesel fuels 
        credit determined under section 40A may be carried back to a 
        taxable year beginning before January 1, 2003.''
            (2) Section 196(c) is amended by striking ``and'' at the 
        end of paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end of 
        paragraph (10), and by adding at the end the following:
            ``(11) the biodiesel fuels credit determined under section 
        40A.''
            (3) The table of sections for subpart D of part IV of 
        subchapter A of chapter 1 is amended by adding after the item 
        relating to section 40 the following new item:

                              ``Sec. 40A. Biodiesel used as fuel.''
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2001.

SEC. 3. REDUCTION OF MOTOR FUEL EXCISE TAXES ON BIODIESEL MIXTURES.

    (a) In General.--Section 4081 (relating to manufacturers tax on 
petroleum products) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(f) Biodiesel Mixtures.--Under regulations prescribed by the 
Secretary--
            ``(1) In general.--In the case of the removal or entry of a 
        qualified biodiesel mixture, the rate of tax under subsection 
        (a) shall be the otherwise applicable rate reduced by the 
        biodiesel mixture rate (if any) applicable to the mixture.
            ``(2) Tax prior to mixing.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of the removal or 
                entry of diesel fuel for use in producing at the time 
                of such removal or entry a qualified biodiesel mixture, 
                the rate of tax under subsection (a) shall be the 
                otherwise applicable rate, reduced by the amount 
                determined under subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Applicable reduction.--For purposes of 
                subparagraph (A), the amount determined under this 
                subparagraph is an amount equal to the biodiesel 
                mixture rate for the qualified biodiesel mixture to be 
                produced from the diesel fuel, divided by a percentage 
                equal to 100 percent minus the percentage of biodiesel 
                which will be in the mixture.
            ``(3) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection, any 
        term used in this subsection which is also used in section 40A 
        shall have the meaning given such term by section 40A.
            ``(4) Certain rules to apply.--Rules similar to the rules 
        of paragraphs (6) and (7) of subsection (c) shall apply for 
        purposes of this subsection.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 4041 is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new subsection:
    ``(n) Biodiesel Mixtures.--Under regulations prescribed by the 
Secretary, in the case of the sale or use of a qualified biodiesel 
mixture (as defined in section 40A(b)(2)), the rates under paragraphs 
(1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall be the otherwise applicable rates, 
reduced by any applicable biodiesel mixture rate (as defined in section 
40A(b)(1)(B)).''.
            (2) Section 6427 is amended by redesignating subsection (p) 
        as subsection (q) and by inserting after subsection (o) the 
        following new subsection:
    ``(p) Biodiesel Mixtures.--Except as provided in subsection (k), if 
any diesel fuel on which tax was imposed by section 4081 at a rate not 
determined under section 4081(f) is used by any person in producing a 
qualified biodiesel mixture (as defined in section 40A(b)(2)) which is 
sold or used in such person's trade or business, the Secretary shall 
pay (without interest) to such person an amount equal to the per gallon 
applicable biodiesel mixture rate (as defined in section 40A(b)(1)(B)) 
with respect to such fuel.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on January 1, 2002.

SEC. 4. HIGHWAY TRUST FUND HELD HARMLESS.

    There are hereby transferred (from time to time) from the funds of 
the Commodity Credit Corporation amounts equivalent to the reductions 
that would occur (but for this section) in the receipts of the Highway 
Trust Fund by reason of the amendments made by this Act. Such transfers 
shall be made on the basis of estimates made by the Secretary of the 
Treasury and adjustments shall be made to subsequent transfers to 
reflect any errors in the estimates.