ROUNDUP: Bipartisan Calls Grow for Gas Tax Suspension Which Pappas, Kelly Called For Months Ago

MANCHESTER, NH — Last week, President Donald Trump announced that his administration was considering a temporary suspension of the National Gas Tax — a policy Congressman Chris Pappas and Senator Mark Kelly have been pushing for since March.

Their Gas Prices Relief Act of 2026 would suspend the federal gas tax through October, providing immediate and desperately needed relief for Granite Staters already struggling to afford everyday essentials while ensuring that relief is passed on to consumers, not put back in the pockets of the big oil companies.

As Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice with Iran and chaotic tariff policies send global markets into turmoil and drive up prices from the gas pump to the grocery store, Chris is focused on delivering relief for Granite Staters. While John Sununu rubber-stamps Trump’s disastrous agenda and war with Iran — which Sununu is profiting from — Chris is fighting to lower costs, cut taxes, and put money back in people’s pockets.

Read more: 

AP: Trump says he’ll move to suspend federal gasoline tax. He can’t do it on his own. 

By Matthew Daly / 05.11.26

  • President Donald Trump said Monday he will move to suspend the federal tax on gasoline to help Americans shoulder surging fuel prices caused by the Iran war. 
  • The president cannot suspend the federal tax on his own. Congress would have to approve the move.
  • […] 
  • A bill sponsored by Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Mark Kelly of Arizona would suspend the federal tax through Oct. 1. 
  • A similar measure was sponsored in the House by Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire. 
  • […]

POLITICO: Gas tax holiday momentum grows with Trump support. 

By Amelia Davidson and Pavan Acharya / 05.11.26

  • Rising gasoline prices and no end in sight to the Middle East conflict are prompting the White House and some congressional Republicans to call for suspending the federal gasoline tax.
  • With the average price for regular gasoline topping $4.50 per gallon — up by more than $1 compared to a year ago — officials and lawmakers are turning bullish on an idea many have been cool on.
  •  […] 
  • Democrats like Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) have been calling for a gasoline tax pause for weeks.

NBC: Trump says he would support suspending the federal gas tax

By Megan Lebowitz / 05.11.26

  • President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that he would support temporarily suspending the federal gas tax “until it’s appropriate.”
  • Suspending the federal gas tax, which currently sits at about 18 cents per gallon, would require congressional approval.
  • […]
  • […]
  • Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., spearheaded the March bill. Pappas responded to Trump’s support for suspending the gas tax by saying ina post to X, “This should have happened months ago.”
  • “Let’s pass it this week,” he said in the post.
  • […]

Punchbowl News: Peace talks going poorly, suspend gas tax?

By Jake Sherman, Samantha Handler and Laura Weiss / 05.11.26

  • […]
  • Trump also said Monday he’d like to pause the federal gas tax. Presidents occasionally propose this when gas prices spike. The only difficulty is that Congress needs to agree to this first.
  • Plus, by doing this, Trump is effectively admitting that high gas prices – which he claimed were temporary – are here to stay and a problem for Republicans heading into November.
  • […]
  • Democrats have already floated plans to do this as well.
  • Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) has legislation that would pause the tax through Sept. 30 – the height of the summer driving season. That would also end the holiday just a month out from the midterms. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), who is running for Senate, has a bill that does the same.
  • […]

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