In response to the high gas prices pummeling drivers, President Joe Biden will call on Congress to temporarily halt the federal tax on gas and asked states, which have their own gas taxes, to take similar action.
The primary measure Biden requested is a federal gas tax suspension through September.
Taxes are levied on gasoline, diesel and gasohol, which is a mix of ethanol and unleaded gas, at the federal and state levels.
The federal gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel.
On top of that, states have their own gas taxes.
The cost of crude oil aside, the taxes are the main factor in determining gas price at the pump, adding more to the price of a gallon of gas than refining costs, retail markup and transportation expenses, USA TODAY previously reported.
Most of the money collected from the federal gas tax goes toward highway infrastructure, via the Highway Trust Fund, which pays for most federal spending on highways and mass transit.
Federal gas and diesel taxes in 2020 accounted for 84% of revenue for the Highway Trust Fund, for a total of some $43 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Biden's proposal of a three-month federal gas tax holiday, which requires congressional approval, would act as "a little extra breathing room" for Americans dealing with record high gas prices, the White House said in its statement.
Some economists say the end of the holiday could increase inflation and deplete transportation funds, for a low pay-off, while environmentalists argue the gas tax undermines the effort to move toward clean energy.
For more on the gas tax holiday, visit USATODAY.com