Trump Says He’s ‘Thinking About’ Suspending The Gas Tax Weeks After His Own Party Blocked A Vote On It
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is weighing a gas tax suspension, three weeks after House Republican leaders shelved a bill to do it.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is weighing a gas tax suspension — three weeks after House Republican leaders shelved a bill to do it.
“We’re thinking about that,” Trump said when asked whether the federal gas tax should be suspended, Reuters reported. He appeared to give no other details.
Trump spoke a day after he signed an executive order at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, temporarily allowing truckers to use tax-exempt dyed diesel on highways.
Suspending the 18.4-cent-per-gallon federal gasoline tax and the 24.4-cent diesel tax requires an act of Congress, CBS News reported.
Republican Maryland Rep. Andy Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, introduced a bill Sept. 15 to temporarily suspend federal fuel taxes.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the next day that leadership decided against a vote after it became clear the Republican conference did not agree on the measure, Roll Call reported.
Republican Missouri Rep. Sam Graves, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, opposed bringing the bill to the floor, according to co-sponsor Republican Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins, the outlet reported.
Asked whether Trump would press Congress to suspend the taxes, the White House referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to his comments.