Biden asks congress to suspend federal gas tax for 3 months
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The US President intends to ask lawmakers, on Wednesday, to enact a gas tax holiday strongly opposed by lawmakers from both camps.
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US President Joe Biden on June 21 (The Washington Post)
US President Joe Biden will ask Congress to suspend the federal gas tax of 18.3 cents per gallon for three months, as the US struggles to combat high inflation.
The White House has hinted that the announcement will come just days before millions of Americans fill up their tanks in preparation for July 4 weekend travel.
"Today, he [Biden] is calling on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for three months, through September, without taking any money away from the Highway Trust Fund. And he is calling on states to take similar action to provide some direct relief, whether suspending their own gas taxes or helping consumers in other ways," a White House statement read.
"President Biden understands that high gas prices pose a significant challenge for working families. That’s why he has taken action in recent months to boost the supply of oil and gas, including a historic release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and encouraging oil companies and refiners to boost capacity and output to get more supply on the market," it added.
Later in the day, the US President is scheduled to deliver a speech on the subject.
A divided US congress
Some Democrats and Republicans have already questioned the wisdom and effectiveness of suspending the federal gas tax for months, stressing that it will provide little assistance to Americans in need.
Republicans, in particular, have characterized a potential gas tax suspension as a political stunt by a president whose popularity has plummeted as the cost of a variety of goods has risen.
It is worth noting that the Biden administration has constantly claimed that higher fuel prices are the result of the war in Ukraine and alleged price gouging by energy companies.
Read more: US Congressman accuses colleagues of waging proxy war against Russia
On his account, Biden has blamed companies for not refining enough oil for affecting supply.
71% of Americans disagree with Biden's handling of inflation, according to an ABC News poll conducted this month.
Furthermore, the poll indicated that inflation and the economy are the two concerns that respondents consider "very significant", with inflation being the "single most important issue" for more people than any other.
Meanwhile, Russia has denied the allegations, affirming that sanctions imposed by the US and its allies, as well as Ukraine's mining of the Black Sea, have thrown the market off balance and contributed to higher energy, food, and fertilizer prices.
