Pennsylvania GOP congressman introduces bill to raise federal gas tax

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New taxes on transit and bikes would raise revenue for highway construction under a bill introduced last week by Pennsylvania Republican Bill Shuster, chair of the House Transportation Committee.

In addition to raising the federal gas tax, the bill calls for a huge increase in fuel taxes paid by transit agencies, as well as a 10 percent tax on adult bicycle tires and electric batteries for cars and bikes.

Federal lawmakers have not raised the gas tax since 1993, and gas tax revenues no longer come close to paying for the federal transportation program. Shuster’s bill would raise the gas tax by 15 cents per gallon (20 cents for diesel) over three years, then indexing it to inflation. Over 10 years, the bill would bring in $300 billion more for federal transportation programs than current funding levels.

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