Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist is calling on Republican leaders in Congress to block any attempts to raise the federal gas tax, saying it would erase any benefits from the new tax law.
Norquist sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell; Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee; and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee.
"I write in opposition to increasing the federal gas tax," Norquist said. "An increase in the gas tax will disproportionately harm low- and middle-income families and will only encourage further wasteful spending."
Norquist then provided data that shows how the new tax law will benefit American families.
"The legislation reduced the federal tax burden for a family of four earning $73,000 by nearly 60 percent, resulting in a $2,058 reduction in taxes. Similarly, a single parent with one child earning $41,000 per year will see tax reduction of 73 percent, resulting in a $1,304 tax cut," he wrote.
"Raising the gas tax will directly undermine these gains and would predominantly fall on middle- and low-income American families. According to Strategas Research, a gas tax increase of $0.25 per gallon would increase taxes on consumers by $37 billion next year.
"If combined with an anticipated $0.20 per gallon increase from rising gasoline prices, consumers will pay $71 billion more for gasoline next year, wiping out 60 percent of the $120 billion in tax cuts contained in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act."
Norquist argued that in lieu of instituting additional taxes on Americans, Congress should focus its attention on cutting wasteful spending.
A recent report claimed that President Donald Trump supports a 25-cent increase in the gas tax to help pay for upgrades to the nation's infrastructure over the coming years.
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