Democrats Urge Pelosi to Accept Gas Tax Holiday Proposal

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is getting pushback from fellow Democrats following her rejection of a proposed gas tax holiday.

Some of Pelosi's caucus members, especially those facing tough reelection campaigns, are urging the speaker and other party leaders to reconsider the idea of a gas tax holiday.

Rasmussen Reports survey results this week showed that a majority of likely voters blame President Joe Biden for escalating gas prices.

Democrat lawmakers want their congressional leaders to help provide some relief to drivers in their districts before the midterms. The gas tax currently is about 18 cents per gallon.

"I guess they're focused on things that would be helpful, but they're longer-term. And I'm focused on the shorter term," said Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., The Hill reported. "And I think that if they came to my district they would see that we have a short-term need that needs to be addressed."

Pelosi has argued against a gas tax suspension because there was no way to ensure gas companies will pass the savings to customers.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., on Wednesday said a gas tax holiday remained a possibility.

"It's part of the discussion, and the discussion is ongoing," said Jeffries, chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

Democrat leaders on Thursday announced an effort to give the Federal Trade Commission increased authority to crack down on companies that engage in gas price gouging.

In doing so, they downplayed the possibility of other options such as a federal gas tax holiday or offering oil companies more government incentives to increase production.

Slotkin said there was no perfect answer to deal with high gas prices, though suspending the federal gas tax would be an efficient and effective way to lower costs quickly.

"It’s not perfect, what I’m proposing, but it is something," Slotkin said, The Hill reported. "And if you are from a state where people drive 40 miles one-way to work, you’re interested in whatever helps."

Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., said the gas tax holiday proposal was "the most immediate way that we can deliver some much-needed relief."

"For a tourist-heavy state like New Hampshire, we want people to continue to come," Pappas said, The Hill reported. "So I’m disappointed that [the tax holiday] wasn’t included in the framework."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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