[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H4436-H4437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A RESPONSIBLE REPEAL OF THE GAS TAX

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Bentsen] is recognized during 
morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to cut 
the gas tax by 4.3 cents per gallon through the end of 1996, and to 
offset the cost of repeal with an immediate elimination of the ethanol 
subsidy. We should repeal this additional gas tax and provide relief to 
American consumers as soon as possible, but we most do it in a way that 
is fiscally responsible, environmentally sensitive, and truly 
responsive to the needs of American taxpayers.
  Over the last month, gasoline prices have increased to their highest 
level since the gulf war in 1991. According to the American Automobile 
Association, the average price of regular unleaded self-serve gasoline 
in the Houston area, which I represent, has jumped over 20 cents in the 
month of April.
  Mr. Speaker, while we should address this rapid rise in retail gas 
prices, we should not do so with cuts in education as some in the House 
Republican leadership have proposed. The American people have already 
rejected Republican cuts in education throughout the budget debate. 
They are not about to be fooled twice. What they deserve is some 
commonsense legislation to provide relief to millions of Americans 
faced with soaring gas prices.

[[Page H4437]]

  The ethanol subsidy has proved to be one of the biggest boondoggles 
in the history of Congress. According to the Treasury Department, the 
ethanol subsidy cost the American taxpayer $5.3 billion from 1983 to 
1994. Furthermore, ethanol subsidies artificially inflate the price of 
corn food products, costing American consumers millions each year. It 
is considered an environmental nightmare by many of our Nation's 
leading conservation groups.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, the approach to repealing the gas tax by 4.3 
cents is fiscally responsible since repealing the ethanol subsidy of 
more than 50 cents a gallon will offset the revenue loss and not add to 
the deficit or require cuts in education funding.
  Mr. Speaker, cutting corporate welfare to pay for a cut in the gas 
tax is a responsible choice for the taxpayers of this country, and I 
urge my colleagues to support the legislation I am introducing today.

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