President Biden said Monday that he may make a decision within days on seeking a pause to the federal gasoline tax, as Americans deal with soaring gas prices, the Wall Street Journal reported. Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Del., that he is considering a gas tax holiday. “I hope to have a decision based on the data I’m looking for by the end of the week,” he said. Gas prices started increasing last year and surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which disrupted the global oil market. The average cost of a gallon of unleaded fuel in the U.S. hit $4.98 on Monday, according to AAA. That is up from about $3 a year ago. Any suspension in the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents a gallon would require action from Congress. So far, Democratic-led efforts to temporarily pause collecting the tax have failed to gain traction. In the U.S. House and Senate, Republican leaders largely oppose suspending the federal gasoline tax. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has accused Democrats of playing “political games,” noting that any gasoline-tax relief would expire soon after midterm elections.
