June 20, 2022
Biden Open to Sending Americans Money to Pay for GasPresident Joe Biden signaled Monday that he would be open to sending Americans gas rebate cards to help offset soaring gas prices in the U.S.
Biden also mentioned the possibility of temporarily suspending the federal gasoline tax.
“I hope to have a decision based on the data I’m looking for by the end [of] the week,” Biden said, referring to the potential gas tax holiday.
The Biden administration has been facing heavy pressure to help alleviate Americans’ pain at the pump amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and surging inflation, which hit a 40-year high in May. On Monday, the national average for U.S. gas prices was $4.98 per gallon, according to AAA. Prices peaked on June 14, at $5.016 per gallon, Axios reported, citing an earlier AAA average.
Last week, multiple news outlets reported that Biden was mulling a new economic stimulus plan in which he would send gas rebate cards to Americans. However, the idea is not without criticism. Some officials reportedly worried that recipients would use the cards’ funds for purchases other than gas. Additionally, there were concerns that ongoing chip shortages would cause problems for card production.
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