In December 2013, Representative Earl Blumenauer announced the proposal that would raise the federal tax on gas and diesel. This tax has not been increased since 1993 which has caused resources to lose pace with the country’s transportation infrastructure needs. Federal transportation funding still means a great deal for states, which despite levying their own taxes still depend on federal funding for about half of their transportation funding. His proposal of a phased in 15-cent-per-gallon tax over three years is expected to raise about $170 billion in the next decade.
