Two senators are working on a bill to raise the federal gasoline and fuel tax to boost the Highway Trust Fund. Finally. Sens. Bob Corker (a Republican) and Chris Murphy (a Democrat) are working on a bill that would raise the federal gas tax by 12 cents over two years to fund infrastructure projects, according to Politico. It’s the simplest way to make sure the people who use the roads pay for the roads, but also involves embracing political kryptonite.
As we’ve explained before, for years Congress has avoided raising the tax, but has also failed to come up with a long-term solution to pay for the fund.
This time around Republicans briefly toyed with the idea of ending Sunday postal service, but even that would have only paid for the Highway Fund until next year. Democrats and conservative Republicans rejected the idea of 10 years of postal savings for one year of infrastructure, and party leadership was forced to abandon the idea Thursday afternoon.
Two Senators Are Finally Pushing the Most Logical Solution to Paying for Roads
Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) “For too long, Congress has shied away from taking serious action to update our country’s aging infrastructure,” said Senator Murphy. “We’re currently facing a transportation crisis that will only get worse if we don’t take bold action to fund the Highway Trust Fund. By modestly raising the federal gas tax, we can address a crippling economic liability for this country—the inability to finance long-term improvements to our crumbling national infrastructure. I know raising the gas tax isn’t an easy choice, but we’re not elected to make easy decisions – we’re elected to make the hard ones. This modest increase will pay dividends in the long run and I encourage my colleagues to get behind this bipartisan proposal.”
Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) “In Washington, far too often, we huff and puff about paying for proposals that are unpopular, yet throw future generations under the bus when public pressure mounts on popular proposals that have broad support. Congress should be embarrassed that it has played chicken with the Highway Trust Fund and allowed it to become one of the largest budgeting failures in the federal government. If Americans feel that having modern roads and bridges is important then Congress should have the courage to pay for it.”
James T. Callahan, General President of the International Union of Operating Engineers said, “The Operating Engineers appreciate the work Senators Murphy and Corker have done to forge a bi-partisan proposal that secures critically important funding for our nation’s transportation infrastructure. A long-term funding solution brings certainty to transportation planners and the construction industry, while securing hundreds of thousands of family wage jobs for construction workers. Dedicated, multi-year funding is the only solution if we are to rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges the right way. No more quick fixes. No more temporary patches. We urge every lawmaker to support this proposal and to move swiftly before the Highway Trust Fund runs dry.”