Former President Donald Trump has proposed a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax as a measure to address rising fuel prices, but the proposal requires congressional approval to take effect.

The federal gas tax currently contributes to the Highway Trust Fund, which finances road and public transportation projects across the United States. Suspending the tax for five months, as Trump suggested, would reduce revenue to the fund by approximately $17 billion, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. The fund has faced ongoing budgetary challenges, with the Congressional Budget Office projecting it could run out of money by 2028 due to expenditures outpacing revenue.

Despite the intention to lower costs at the pump, experts note that actual savings for consumers would vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, driving patterns, and vehicle types. Additionally, the tax is collected upstream at fuel terminals and refineries rather than at individual gas stations, which raises complexities about ensuring that any tax relief translates directly into lower prices for consumers rather than increased margins for fuel suppliers. The Congressional Research Service has highlighted the difficulty of enforcing such pass-through savings.

The current administration has already implemented several measures to ease fuel costs, including releasing crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, lifting restrictions on shipping fuel between U.S. ports, relaxing certain environmental regulations related to ethanol, and temporarily waiving sanctions on Russian oil imports.

Trump’s announcement on Monday coincided with similar legislative efforts among lawmakers. Republicans such as Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri and Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida have announced plans to introduce bills calling for a gas tax suspension. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers including Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Representative Chris Pappas of New Hampshire have previously proposed suspensions offset by general fund allocations, which would increase the national budget deficit.

The idea of suspending the federal gas tax has appeared in U.S. political discourse previously. In 2022, President Joe Biden requested a three-month suspension from a Democratic-controlled Congress that ultimately chose not to act on the proposal.

Fuel prices have surged in recent months amid geopolitical tensions, including conflicts involving Iran and disruptions to oil shipments through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. These developments have added urgency to discussions over strategies to reduce gasoline costs for American consumers.

While congressional approval is necessary for any gas tax suspension, debate continues over the efficacy and fiscal impact of such a move as policymakers weigh immediate relief against long-term infrastructure funding needs.