Sen. Blumenthal proposes temporary suspension of federal gas tax

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal has called on Congress to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax in the wake of rapidly increasing fuel prices.

The federal gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon. According to a WSHU-FM report, Blumenthal is seeking to suspend the tax through the rest of the year as the nation grapples with an inflation rate that reached a 40-year high.

“Our consumers are hurting,” Blumenthal said. “It is a perfect storm of spiraling increases in the cost of everything, but most especially the price of gasoline. Because of world turmoil disrupting supply, Ukraine and Russia in tumult, other factors that could dissipate by the end of the year, and we should suspend this gas tax in the meantime.”

The Biden administration did not publicly comment on the senator’s proposal.

According to AAA Northeast data, Connecticut’s statewide average of $3.67 for a gallon of regular gas was up by four cents from one week ago. The national average is $3.53.