Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Gradually Reduce Fuel Tax
Legislation that would gradually reduce the federal gas tax over the next five years to 3.7 cents per gallon was introduced by Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) on June 10.
According to background DeSantis’ office provided, the bill would transfer significant responsibility for transportation projects to states to allow officials at that level to decide how to utilize transportation funding.
The bill also would call for reductions to the diesel tax, according to an official with American Trucking Associations. The bill text has yet to be made available.
“We need to modernize the way we handle transportation projects, not just rely on short-term fixes or a one-size-fits-all approach to the nation’s infrastructure needs,” DeSantis said. The bill is dubbed the Transportation Empowerment Act.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is offering companion legislation.
“By cutting out the bureaucratic middle man in Washington, states will be able to keep more of their infrastructure dollars at home where they belong, and they will be able to avoid the costly and often duplicative federal regulations that can bring any infrastructure project to a screeching halt,” Lee said.
The legislation has been referred to the transportation, tax and budget committees. The current 18.4 cents per gallon federal gas tax on fuel was last raised in 1993. Meanwhile, funding authority for federal transportation programs expires July 31.
In the previous Congress, Lee and Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) introduced a measure designed to reduce federal highway funding within five years. Congress adjourned without advancing it. Several leading transportation groups have opposed devolving the federal government’s role in transportation.
