Congressman Brendan Boyle rolled out his Gas Price Relief Act on Monday at a Philadelphia gas station, pitching a plan to hit pause on the federal gasoline tax any time the national average tops $4 per gallon. The proposal would temporarily suspend the 18.4-cent-per-gallon federal tax and plug the hole by redirecting roughly $30 billion in federal subsidies away from oil and gas companies and into the Highway Trust Fund. Boyle is selling it as quick help for commuters and families watching prices climb by the week, while local drivers and business owners say the spike at the pump is already forcing hard choices.
Boyle's office spelled out how the trigger would work, saying the pause would kick in "whenever the national average price of gas exceeds $4 per gallon" and that the lost revenue would be "fully offset" through redirected subsidies. Citing overseas tensions as a key driver of higher prices, Boyle urged colleagues not to wait, arguing, "We cannot wait for this war to end until we deliver relief to the American people. Let's do it now and pass my legislation." Those details were laid out in a press statement from Congressman Boyle.
How the plan would work
Under current law the federal gasoline excise tax is 18.4 cents per gallon, and that money feeds the Highway Trust Fund, according to Congress.gov. Boyle's bill would turn off that tax when the national average price rises above $4 per gallon and then backfill the trust fund by shifting about $30 billion in federal subsidies away from oil and gas companies, according to his office. Supporters say that approach preserves federal infrastructure money while giving drivers immediate savings at the pump. Critics warn that moving subsidies around could ignite larger budget fights in Washington.
Philly drivers feel the squeeze
Philadelphia pump prices are already brushing up against Boyle's proposed trigger. 6abc reported the city average at about $4.10 per gallon, with Delaware stations sitting just under the line at roughly $3.99. Drivers told the station those few extra dollars per fill-up are forcing tradeoffs. One West Philadelphia resident put it bluntly: "I have to choose. Walk to work, or buy groceries." Another warned that rising fuel costs are slicing into everyday spending. National tracking from GasBuddy and related coverage puts the U.S. average around $4.12 per gallon, with NBC San Diego noting broader national context around global tensions and price pressure.
Political math and hurdles
Boyle is not the only lawmaker floating a gas tax timeout. Earlier this spring, Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Mark Kelly backed a federal suspension of the same 18.4-cent levy, signaling that some in Congress see a temporary gas tax holiday as a politically appealing way to show quick action on inflation. Analysts warn, though, that any federal tax pause needs solid offsets so the Highway Trust Fund, which leans heavily on motor fuel taxes, does not end up short on cash, a concern highlighted in materials on Congress.gov. Whether Boyle's subsidy-shift strategy can win a slot on the committee calendar and attract bipartisan backing will ultimately decide its fate, according to reporting on related proposals from CT Insider.
Boyle has argued the tax holiday would kick in "regardless of negotiations" over the international crisis driving much of the volatility, according to 6abc. The bill is newly introduced and must still survive committee review. Boyle's office is framing it as a temporary, targeted tool, not a permanent reduction in infrastructure funding. For now, his proposal joins a growing list of state and federal ideas aimed at easing the sting at the pump while lawmakers debate how much short-term relief the budget can reasonably bear.
