House T&I Chairman Rejects Fuel Tax Increase

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said he wants a five to six-year highway bill, but he rejects higher fuel taxes as a means of paying for it.
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House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said he wants a five to six-year highway bill, but he rejects higher fuel taxes as a means of paying for it.

The comments, made Feb. 4 as part of a transportation panel held in Washington, D.C., contrast statements made last year, when the Chairman said that all funding options were on the table. 

“Economically, it is not the time,” Rep. Shuster said. “I just don’t believe the American people have the will out there, in the public or in Congress, even our President has said we’re not going to do that. We’ve got to figure out a different way at this point in time.”

Rep. Shuster cited a vehicle miles tax (VMT) as one way to generate trust fund revenues. Alternatively, he cited higher taxes on energy exploration, bringing back corporate profits earned overseas as well as finding savings that the government can direct to transportation.

Previously, Rep. Shuster has said that a comprehensive tax code rewrite could be the solution to fixing the insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund.

A Congressional Budget Office report also issued Feb. 4 said a six-year surface transportation bill would require another $100 billion in additional tax receipts or transfers from the general fund. A one-year extension would require $19 billion in additional taxes or transfers.  The trust fund is expected to be insolvent by Oct. 1.

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