President Donald Trump said Monday that he wants to pause the federal gas tax amid the ongoing war with Iran to give Americans some much-needed relief at the pump.
The current federal gas tax is set at 18.4 cents per gallon and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel.
The federal gasoline tax would be reduced "until appropriate," Trump said in the Oval Office.
Waiving the federal gas tax requires Congress to pass legislation.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said she plans to introduce a bill in the House.
In March, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) first proposed suspending the tax until October.
Revenue raised by the federal gas tax goes toward the Highway Trust Fund to construct and repair roadways and pay for other transit projects, generating about $2.5 billion per month in road funding.
Gas prices have risen since the war in Iran began on Feb. 28, surging between 40 to 50 percent. The Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a critical waterway to transport 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies, has been choked off since the conflict erupted.
In addition to the federal gas tax, states also impose their own levies, but several states have moved to make cuts to give consumers some relief at the pump, including Indiana, Kentucky, and Georgia.