Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced Monday he will introduce legislation to suspend the federal gas tax, a move that would save drivers 18.4 cents per gallon amid rising fuel prices tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Republicans on Capitol Hill have increasingly embraced suspending the gas tax as voter frustration grows over climbing oil and natural gas prices since the beginning of the Iran conflict. However, several Republican lawmakers who are now supporting similar proposals previously criticized the idea when former President Biden advocated for it in 2022, calling his approach a gimmick that would worsen inflation.
What the Left Is Saying
While this story focuses on Republican positions, progressive Democrats under Biden argued that suspending the federal gas tax provided direct relief to struggling families during periods of high fuel costs. In June 2022, Biden officially called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for 90 days, stating at the time that it would help consumers through the busy travel season.
Progressive economists noted that gas tax suspensions put money directly into drivers' pockets without requiring new bureaucratic programs or application processes, though they acknowledged such measures are temporary solutions rather than long-term fixes to energy price volatility.
What the Right Is Saying
Hawley, who is now leading the push for gas tax suspension, previously dismissed Biden's 2022 proposal as counterproductive. "This is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of," Hawley said on "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" in June 2022 when Biden advocated for the policy. He argued at the time that Biden should instead reverse his energy policies, which Hawley characterized as contributing to the price crisis.
Senate Majority Leader John Thuna (R-S.D.), then serving as Senate Republican whip, told Fox News that Biden's gas tax suspension request was "dead on arrival" in Congress. "What the administration is coming up with is yet another gimmick, another Band-Aid and something they know is dead on arrival up here in Congress," Thuna said.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who announced he is co-sponsoring Hawley's legislation, took a different historical angle. In a post on social media platform X, Lee noted that "the federal gasoline tax was introduced to build the interstate highway system" and argued that since construction is complete, the tax should be repealed. However, in June 2022, Lee warned that Biden's gas tax plan would spike inflation even more, telling Fox News: "We're just going to have to borrow more of it, effectively printing more of it. You know what that does? That spikes inflation even more."
What the Numbers Show
The federal gas tax currently stands at 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel. The Highway Trust Fund relies on this revenue to finance road and bridge maintenance across the country.
According to Energy Information Administration data, average national gas prices rose approximately 15 percent in the months following the escalation of U.S.-Iran hostilities. The fund faces an estimated $12 billion annual shortfall when gas tax revenues are insufficient to cover authorized highway spending.
The Tax Foundation has estimated that a three-month federal gas tax suspension would cost the Highway Trust Fund roughly $10 billion in lost revenue, requiring either supplemental appropriations from general funds or increased borrowing.
The Bottom Line
Republican attitudes toward federal gas tax suspension have shifted notably since 2022, when multiple GOP leaders dismissed Biden's similar proposal as inflationary and politically motivated. The reversal comes as rising fuel prices tied to the Iran conflict create political pressure ahead of midterm elections.
Hawley's legislation faces an uncertain path through Congress. While it has gained Republican co-sponsors including Lee, any suspension would need to address how to maintain Highway Trust Fund solvency without adding to the national debt. Congressional negotiators will likely consider offsetting provisions or alternative funding mechanisms before any vote proceeds.