The White House is looking for ways to help lower pain at the pump. But congressional Democratic leaders already have dismissed the holiday idea.
President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for suspending the federal gasoline tax, in his latest bid to curb rising fuel prices, though it stands almost no chance of passage in Congress.
Biden asked lawmakers to pass a three-month pause on the federal 18-cent-per-gallon levy, casting the proposal as a temporary measure that would provide relief to Americans without harming the road-building projects the tax traditionally funds.
The president also urged individual states to suspend their own gas taxes during that period, or seek ways to offer similar discounts from high prices at the pump. It’s a reflection of the intensifying political pressure on a White House combating near-record levels of inflation.
“A federal gas tax suspension alone won’t fix the problem we face,” a senior administration official told reporters Tuesday night. “But it will provide families a little breathing room.”
Biden’s gas tax holiday, however, has already been met with skepticism from senior Democrats in the House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others have questioned whether the policy will lead to savings at the pump, rather than excess profits for gas companies. Democrats chose not to include it in their own bill aimed at lowering gas prices last month.
“I’ve not been a proponent of the gas tax,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said in a brief interview on Tuesday night. “I just don’t know that it gives much relief.”
He caused this big pain, now he wants to knock off a few cents………….sorry, that’s not good enough, Joey! That amounts to a drop in a bucket.
Time for a TRUMP HOLIDAY !!!!!!! Under $ 2.00 a Gallon !!!!!!!!!!
Every penny not collected mean fewer highway user fund dollars coming back to states, counties and municipalities, the money earmarked for street and road maintenance. Not so long ago a certain progressive president withheld those funds from the states and highways suffered in a big way.
Very surprised the lack of common “Cents” in the WH. Its not fiscally responsible to table a fed tax for 90 days when it amounts to zippy savings long term – not to mention the loss of tax revenue in an economy already $31 TRILLION in debt.
Snowflakes, WTF are you all smoking in the WH??
Fuel prices always come down before an election.
as they are now for the July elections