White House says gas tax won't be part of infrastructure bill

The White House said on Tuesday that raising the federal gasoline tax is not being considered as part of President BidenJoe BidenTrump: McConnell ‘helpless’ to stop Biden from packing court Biden, first lady send ‘warmest greetings’ to Muslims for Ramadan The business case for child care reform MORE’s infrastructure package.

White House Press Secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiOvernight Defense: Biden nominating first female Army secretary | Israel gets tough on Iran amid nuclear talks | Army’s top enlisted soldier ‘very proud’ of officer pepper sprayed by police Israel gets tough with Iran as Biden signals shift from Trump Shocking killing renews tensions over police MORE said that a gas tax increase is not being discussed when asked about reports that Biden was considering a hike to pay for his $1.9 trillion package.

The president has proposed raising the corporate tax rate to pay for the package.

“I think that was a little bit of a garble, unintentional, but in yesterday’s meeting with members of Congress the president mentioned the gas tax only to make a point that even a significant increase in the gas tax, which some people have proposed would pay for only a fraction of the investment the country needs,” she said.

Psaki added that Biden believes raising the gas tax would be burdensome to Americans.

“Now, fundamentally, he does not believe that paying for this historic investment in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and creating millions of jobs should be on the backs of Americans,” she said.

“So he doesn’t believe that anyway, he’s proposed his own means of paying for it, but he was using it as an example of how it wouldn’t even make a sizable dent in paying for the package,” she added. 

Biden met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday to discuss infrastructure.

Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.), who was in the meeting, was cited in a tweet from a reporter saying Biden told lawmakers he is open to raising the gas tax, Reuters reported on Monday.

Transportation Secretary Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Biden meets with bipartisan lawmakers for infrastructure negotiations Senate Republicans label Biden infrastructure plan a ‘slush fund’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Tax March – Congress returns; infrastructure takes center stage MORE said last month that neither a gas nor a mileage tax will be part of the conversation around the infrastructure bill.