A proposal from Rep. Andy Harris to suspend the federal gas and diesel taxes for three months just hit a wall inside his own party. The House went into recess until after the midterm elections without ever bringing the bill to a vote.
According to WBAL News Radio, Harris introduced his bill to suspend the federal 18-cent gasoline tax and 24-cent diesel tax.
A Late-Night Confrontation Inside GOP Leadership
The bill's undoing came at a late-night House Republican leadership meeting on September 15, when House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves confronted Harris directly, according to Mediaite. Graves reportedly opposed the measure. Harris had previously opposed a similar gas-tax proposal during the Biden administration.
A broader funding dispute also surrounded the bill. Unlike earlier federal fuel tax suspension proposals, the 2026 Freedom Caucus plan championed by Harris did not include a general fund reimbursement mechanism to backfill lost revenue to the Highway Trust Fund, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. The proposal drew opposition from infrastructure advocates and committee leadership. The measure would also create a fuel-tax revenue shortfall.
Aging Tax Rates and a Recess Without a Vote
The federal gas and diesel taxes typically fund road repairs, according to WBAL, but they have not kept pace with the cost of maintaining that infrastructure. The 18.4-cent gasoline tax and 24.4-cent diesel tax were both set under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 and have gone unadjusted for inflation for more than three decades, eroding their purchasing power over time, according to the Tax Foundation.
With the House adjourned for a seven-week recess ahead of the midterms, no vote was ever taken on the suspension, according to Forever Cumberland. That leaves drivers unlikely to see any immediate legislative relief at the pump, the outlet reports.
Maryland's Own Tax Climbed in July
Maryland's motor-fuel tax rates effective July 1, 2026, were 46.60 cents per gallon for gasoline and 47.45 cents per gallon for special fuels, per WBAL and the Comptroller of Maryland. Those rates took effect July 1 under a 2013 statute tying rates to inflation.
Maryland's Tax-Holiday Debate Continues
A new state gas-tax holiday has been discussed in Maryland.
Local Officials and Drivers Split on the Fix
Drivers themselves have mixed opinions on the proposed tax suspensions, per the same report.
For now, Maryland drivers have no immediate legislative relief at the pump.
