A bi-partisan group of members of the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced legislation that would end the ethanol mandate, following a similar measure introduced in the U.S. Senate in late February.

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) announced the bill while visiting a family-owned motorcycle shop in Essex Junction on March 23. The bill would eliminate a federal mandate requiring a mandate to add biofuels such as corn-based ethanol to the gasoline supply.

Welch's bill, which is called the RFS Reform Act (H.R. 704), would cap the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline at 10 percent (of E-10), repeal the mandate for corn-based ethanol, and encourage the use of alternative advanced biofuels, according to an announcement on his website.

The bill comes on the heels of a Feb. 26 bill from Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard that sets biofuel production mandates each year.

"The requirement to blend corn ethanol into gasoline has been a well-intended flop," Welch said in a statement. "The mandate is driving up feed prices, which is hurting our farmers and contributing to increased food prices. My legislation has broad bipartisan support and would end this misguided policy."

The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), and Steve Womack (R-Ariz.).