Why cutting the federal gas tax might not help drivers much
CBSN
President Joe Biden has called on Congress to suspend the federal gasoline tax, as millions of Americans feel the financial pinch from soaring gas prices.
Yet suspending the 18.4 cent levy on regular gas (and 24 cents for diesel) might not do much to lower prices at the pump, say energy experts, who also caution that boosting consumer demand for gas as domestic supplies remain constrained and inflation is surging could actually increase fuel costs over the longer term.
The gas tax, which hasn't been increased in nearly 30 years, today makes up just 4.4% of prices at the pump, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. That makes the tax a much smaller influence on the cost gas than other factors, notably the price of crude oil, cost of refining, marketing and retailers' markups.
The nominee for a top Justice Department job has left a digital trail of deleted social media posts that his critics say suggest fringe views on a number of issues, including an openness to defying court orders and acceptance of arranged marriages under certain circumstances.
Prosecutors say Bryan Kohberger's defense team will argue at his murder trial that someone else could have planted a knife sheath with Kohberger's DNA at the home where four University of Idaho students were killed in 2022.
Waterbury, Conn. — A Connecticut man who said he was held captive for 20 years was rescued after setting fire to his room and telling first responders he did it to gain his freedom, police said Wednesday.
Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church, a megachurch in Southlake, Texas, has been indicted on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, stemming from alleged incidents dating back to the 1980s, the Oklahoma attorney general's office announced Wednesday. We are aware of the actions being taken by the legal authorities in Oklahoma and are grateful for the work of the justice system in holding abusers accountable for their actions. We continue to pray for Cindy Clemishire and her family, for the members and staff of Gateway Church, and for all of those impacted by this terrible situation.
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Another norovirus outbreak sickened passengers on board the cruise ship Coral Princess in February, marking the second outbreak this year on the ocean liner operated by Princess Cruises, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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