U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) is supportive of President Donald Trump’s desire to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax while the war against Iran continues.
Currently the federal tax is 18.4 cents per gallon on gas and 24.4 cents a gallon on diesel, and is used for the Highway Trust Fund to construct and repair roads.
Trump was asked about the idea earlier this week in the Oval Office and said, “we’re going to take off the gas tax for a period of time,” to provide Americans some relief at the gas pump.
Moore, who is also a candidate for the U.S. Senate, praised the idea this week on WVNN ‘s “The Yaffee Program.”
“Yeah, I think it’s good idea,” Moore said. “Actually, I was never a proponent of the gas tax when I was in the state legislature, and we held it up till 2018 ’til many of us left the conservatives that first republican majority, but, but yeah, right now, with people struggling.”
The Alabama Legislature passed a gas tax hike in 2019 as a part of its “Rebuild Alabama” initiative.
“I think it’s something to look at and at the federal level, as we’re looking at it as conservatives, we’re like, look, we can, we can suspend the gas tax, but we need to slow some spending on other side too,” Moore continued. “I mean, it makes sense to leave more money in people’s pockets, but there’s some areas up here too that we can, we can lighten what we’re spending, you know. And so we’re pushing for both.”
Gas prices have soared over 50% since the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28.
“And we want to see the federal government continue to spend less and tax less, and so if we let people keep more of their money, I think that’s a great idea,” Moore added. “And right now, with fuel prices because of the thing in Iran, certainly it’s something that we need to look at to allow the American people to have a reprieve for the time being.”
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said Monday that he would introduce legislation to suspend the federal gas tax, while U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) also said she plans to introduce a bill in the House. Even with the President’s support, it still faces an uphill battle in Congress.
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
