By Dominic Genetti
Jacksonville Journal-Courier, Ill.
(TNS)
May 11 — President Donald Trump says he supports suspending the federal gas tax to give consumers a break on high prices at the pump. The catch is that suspending the gas tax would take an act of Congress.
As of Monday afternoon, AAA reports the national average at $4.52 per gallon, up 7 cents from a week earlier. If the 18-cent federal gas tax were suspended, the national average would fall to about $4.34 per gallon. In parts of the country, especially the Great Lakes region, average gas prices are higher than the national average. Illinois ($4.97), Michigan ($4.72) and Ohio ($4.69) all are above it.
“It’s a small percentage, but it’s still money,” Trump told reporters Monday.
Like practically everything else that requires an act of Congress, a bill would have to be introduced and passed in both the House and the Senate. Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley has said he will introduce legislation to suspend the federal gas tax, and in a post on X, fellow Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida wrote, “American families need this relief on gas prices. My office will be working directly with President Trump to ensure we deliver this win for the American people.”
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Democrats also have proposed similar legislation. Pennsylvania Rep. Brendan Boyle appeared on MS Now to discuss the bill he proposed in mid-April, H.R. 8600, which would suspend the federal gas tax if the cost of gasoline exceeds $3.99.
Also known as the Gas Price Relief Act, the bill was introduced April 30 and is now with the House Committee on Ways and Means. Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire have also backed similar legislation.
Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.com, wrote in an X post Monday afternoon, “Washington is debating suspending the 18.4¢ federal gas tax. But nobody is talking about the REAL tax Americans are paying: the Iran war premium. It’s adding roughly $1.35 per gallon right now, costing drivers about $571 million today alone. Over 71 days? Nearly $28 billion.”
He also reports that in the Great Lakes region, there could soon be some alleviation of pain at the pump because ExxonMobil’s Joliet, Illinois refinery is “nearing the end of a full restart.” However, De Haan says the coast-to-coast gasoline increases are led by the Great Lakes region, noting regular gasoline is up 15 cents and diesel is up 19 cents.
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© 2026 the Jacksonville Journal-Courier (Jacksonville, Ill.). Visit www.myjournalcourier.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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