# Congress floats gas-tax break and commuter deduction

> Lawmakers propose three different approaches to ease high fuel prices ahead of midterm elections.
- Title: Congress floats gas-tax break and commuter deduction · CNBC
- Summary: Lawmakers propose three different approaches to ease high fuel prices ahead of midterm elections. Congress introduced bills to cut gas and diesel costs…
- Keywords: congress, gas prices, diesel prices, tax deduction, gas tax, midterm elections, fuel costs, business, finance, floats, gas-tax, break
- Source: CNBC — https://cnbc.com/2026/09/22/gas-tax-holiday-commuter-deduction-fuel-prices.html
- Author: Sarah Agostino
- Published: 2026-09-22T19:10:27+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: congress, gas prices, diesel prices, tax deduction, gas tax, midterm elections, fuel costs, business, finance
## Fuel prices surge amid global conflict
Regular unleaded gasoline averages four dollars forty-eight per gallon, up from three dollars eighteen a year ago. Diesel averages six dollars fifty-three, up from three dollars sixty-nine.
## Cost of living dominates midterm concerns
Nearly half of registered voters surveyed, forty-seven percent, said the cost of living would be the single most important factor in deciding their vote, according to a Reuters slash Ipsos poll.
## Congress introduces three fuel-relief bills
House lawmakers introduced several bills this month addressing high fuel prices by temporarily suspending federal gasoline and diesel taxes, restricting diesel exports, or allowing workers to deduct commuting expenses.
## Commuter deduction bill introduced
Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., introduced the Lowering Commuting Costs Act with Republicans Jeff Van Drew and Tom Kean Jr. from New Jersey. It would create a tax deduction for commuting expenses worth up to four thousand eighty dollars annually.

> If businesses can deduct the cost of doing business, working people should be able to deduct what it takes to get to and from their jobs.
## Deduction faces practical limitations
Garrett Watson, vice president of federal tax policy for the Tax Foundation, said taxpayers would only receive relief during tax season, which does not help short-term. Lower-income taxpayers may see little to no benefit.

> Taxpayers would only receive tax relief during tax season, which doesn't help in the short-term.
## Gas-tax suspension would save modest amounts
Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., introduced a bill to temporarily suspend federal excise tax on gasoline and diesel through December thirty-first. Federal taxes total eighteen point four cents per gallon for gas and twenty-four point four cents for diesel.
## Savings per tank would be modest
If taxes were suspended, savings on gas purchases would amount to two dollars seventy-six per fifteen-gallon fill-up. For diesel, savings would be three dollars sixty-six per fifteen gallons.
## Export ban could backfire on prices
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., introduced bills to restrict U.S. diesel exports. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, warned an export ban could temporarily depress Gulf Coast prices but may not help high-price regions.

> An export ban could temporarily depress Gulf Coast diesel prices. But there's no guarantee that relief reaches the regions with the highest prices.
## Uncertain whether Congress will act
It is uncertain whether Congress could consider any of these bills when lawmakers return after the midterm elections on November third.
## Key takeaway

Congress introduced bills to cut gas and diesel costs through tax breaks, commuter deductions and export restrictions as fuel prices surge ahead of November midterms.