Letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, Charles Schumer, Senate Majority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader of the House, Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader - Governor urges congressional leadership to suspend federal gas tax

Letter

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McCarthy, and Leader McConnell,
As Congress looks to relieve Americans of the financial stress caused by increased gas
prices amid international crises and rising inflation, we support federal legislation to
address rising gas prices by suspending the federal gas tax until the end of the year.
According to the American Automobile Association, the national average gas price in the
United States is $4.173, up more than a dollar from 2021. The Gas Prices Relief Act as
introduced in the House and Senate - H.R. 6787 and S. 3609 respectively -- would alleviate
the consumer cost of rising gas prices while protecting the federal government's capacity to
make infrastructure investments.

First, it saves Americans at the pump by suspending the federal gas tax for the rest of the
year. Money saved at the pump translates into dollars back in consumers' pockets for
groceries, childcare, rent, and more.

But importantly, the legislation would also ensure the Highway Trust Fund stays solvent.
The bill would authorize the U.S. Department of Treasury to transfer general fund dollars to
replace the temporarily lost revenue of a halted federal gasoline excise tax. Furthermore,
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) dedicated an additional $118 billion to
the Highway Trust Fund, and the Trust Fund's capacity to finance the construction and
maintenance of roads, bridges, and highways across the country would not be diminished
by the legislation. For these reasons and more, we know it is possible to invest in
infrastructure and also provide meaningful relief to consumers at the pump.

At a time when people are directly impacted by rising prices on everyday goods, a federal
gas tax holiday is a tool in the toolbox to reduce costs for Americans, and we urge you to
give every consideration to this proposed legislation.

Sincerely,