NUMBER OF THE WEEK: 18.4 cents
The current federal tax levied on each gallon of
gasoline, which has not increased in more than 20 years. With gas
prices plummeting and the looming insolvency of the Highway Trust
Fund, proposals to gradually raise the federal gas tax, like the
one introduced by Republican Sen. Bob Corker last year, are gaining
some momentum. Sen. John Thune (R-SD), the incoming chair of the
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and a member
of the tax-writing Finance Committee, indicated over the weekend
that he is open to such an increase.
LEGISLATIVE LANDSCAPE
A Whole New Hill. Today marks the beginning of
the 114th Congress and the official first day on the job for 58
freshmen in the House, including 43 Republicans and 15 Democrats.
In the Senate, 13 new lawmakers, all but one of them Republican,
will be sworn in, as the GOP takes control of the chamber with a
54-vote majority — six shy of the 60 votes needed to overcome
a
