How_AVQ did_VDD a_AT0 simple_AJ0 ,_PUN logical_AJ0 and_CJC once-bipartisan_AJ0 policy_NN1 such_DT0 as_PRP the_AT0 gas_NN1 tax_NN1 become_VVB such_DT0 a_AT0 political_AJ0 land_NN1 mine_NN1 that_CJT neither_AV0 Democratic_AJ0 nor_CJC Republican_AJ0 presidents_NN2 will_VM0 touch_VVI it_PNP ?_SENT The_AT0 federal_AJ0 taxes_NN2 on_PRP gasoline_NN1 and_CJC diesel_NN1 fuel_NN1 have_VHB n't_XX0 been_VBN increased_VVN in_PRP nearly_AV0 30_CRD years_NN2 ,_PUN leaving_VVG less_DT0 money_NN1 over_PRP time_NN1 to_TO0 pay_VVI for_PRP roads_NN2 ,_PUN bridges_NN2 and_CJC public_AJ0 transit_NN1 improvements_NN2 ._SENT But_CJC even_AV0 a_AT0 modest_AJ0 proposal_NN1 to_TO0 raise_VVI the_AT0 tax_NN1 by_PRP a_AT0 few_DT0 cents_NN2 per_PRP gallon_NN1 to_TO0 help_VVI fund_NN1 infrastructure_NN1 investments_NN2 has_VHZ been_VBN batted_VVN down_AVP by_PRP President_NP0 Biden_NP0 ._SENT White_AJ0 House_NN1 Press_NN1 Secretary_NN1 Jen_NP0 Psaki_NP0 called_VVD the_AT0 gas_NN1 tax_NN1 hike_NN1 a_AT0 "_PUQ nonstarter_NN1 "_PUQ this_DT0 week_NN1 because_CJS it_PNP would_VM0 violate_VVI Biden_NP0 's_POS pledge_NN1 not_XX0 to_TO0 raise_VVI taxes_NN2 on_PRP Americans_NN2 making_VVG less_AV0 than_CJS $_NN0 400_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD a_AT0 year_NN1 ._SENT Democratic_AJ0 senators_NN2 have_VHB dismissed_VVN the_AT0 proposal_NN1 to_TO0 raise_VVI the_AT0 gas_NN1 tax_NN1 as_PRP a_AT0 "_PUQ Republican_NN1 thing_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ These_DT0 are_VBB the_AT0 same_DT0 leaders_NN2 who_PNQ have_VHB —_PUN rightly_AV0 —_PUN vowed_VVD to_TO0 fight_VVI climate_NN1 change_NN1 on_PRP every_AT0 front_NN1 ._SENT So_AV0 why_AVQ are_VBB they_PNP refusing_VVG to_TO0 even_AV0 consider_VVI raising_VVG the_AT0 price_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 fossil_NN1 fuels_VVZ that_CJT power_NN1 cars_NN2 and_CJC trucks_NN2 ?_SENT The_AT0 transportation_NN1 sector_NN1 is_VBZ the_AT0 biggest_AJS source_NN1 of_PRF greenhouse_NN1 gas_NN1 emissions_NN2 in_PRP the_AT0 United_NP0 States_NP0 ._SENT Political_AJ0 leaders_NN2 '_POS obsession_NN1 with_PRP maintaining_VVG cheap_AJ0 gas_NN1 undermines_VVZ efforts_NN2 to_TO0 get_VVI people_NN0 into_PRP cleaner_NN1 ,_PUN more_DT0 fuel-efficient_AJ0 vehicles_NN2 and_CJC to_TO0 cut_VVI emissions_NN2 from_PRP transportation_NN1 ._SENT A_AT0 gas_NN1 tax_NN1 increase_NN1 should_VM0 be_VBI considered_VVN an_AT0 essential_AJ0 piece_NN1 of_PRF any_DT0 infrastructure_NN1 package_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ true_AJ0 that_CJT any_DT0 fuel_NN1 tax_NN1 hike_NN1 that_DT0 's_VBZ small_AJ0 enough_AV0 to_TO0 be_VBI politically_AV0 feasible_AJ0 would_VM0 raise_VVI far_AV0 less_AV0 than_CJS the_AT0 $_NN0 2_CRD trillion_CRD needed_VVD to_TO0 finance_VVI Biden_NP0 's_POS initial_AJ0 proposal_NN1 or_CJC even_AV0 the_AT0 $_NN0 1_CRD trillion_CRD required_VVN for_PRP the_AT0 scaled-back_AJ0 version_NN1 being_VBG negotiated_VVN by_PRP Democrats_NN2 and_CJC Republicans_NN2 in_PRP Congress_NN1 ._SENT Both_DT0 proposals_NN2 would_VM0 stretch_VVI over_PRP eight_CRD years_NN2 ._SENT By_PRP contrast_NN1 ,_PUN raising_VVG the_AT0 tax_NN1 15_CRD cents_NN2 per_PRP gallon_NN1 and_CJC pegging_VVG future_AJ0 increases_NN2 to_PRP inflation_NN1 would_VM0 generate_VVI about_PRP $_NN0 200_CRD billion_CRD over_PRP the_AT0 same_DT0 period_NN1 ._SENT Still_AV0 ,_PUN the_AT0 higher_AJC gas_NN1 tax_NN1 revenue_NN1 could_VM0 be_VBI an_AT0 important_AJ0 piece_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 funding_NN1 puzzle_NN1 ,_PUN along_AVP with_PRP raising_VVG taxes_NN2 on_PRP corporations_NN2 and_CJC high-income_AJ0 households_NN2 ,_PUN as_CJS the_AT0 Biden_NP0 administration_NN1 has_VHZ proposed_VVN ,_PUN or_CJC repurposing_VVG uncommitted_AJ0 COVID-19_AJ0 relief_NN1 dollars_NN2 ,_PUN as_CJS Republicans_NN2 have_VHB suggested_VVN ._SENT More_AV0 important_AJ0 ,_PUN though_AV0 ,_PUN increasing_VVG the_AT0 gas_NN1 tax_NN1 would_VM0 restore_VVI a_AT0 consistent_AJ0 source_NN1 of_PRF transportation_NN1 funding_NN1 that_CJT has_VHZ been_VBN depleted_VVN over_PRP time_NN1 ._SENT Created_VVN in_PRP 1956_CRD ,_PUN the_AT0 federal_AJ0 Highway_NN1 Trust_NN1 Fund_NN1 was_VBD envisioned_VVN as_PRP a_AT0 user-supported_AJ0 system_NN1 ,_PUN with_PRP drivers_NN2 paying_VVG taxes_NN2 at_PRP the_AT0 fuel_NN1 pump_NN1 to_TO0 finance_VVI roads_NN2 ,_PUN highways_NN2 and_CJC bridges_NN2 ._SENT For_PRP decades_NN2 there_EX0 was_VBD bipartisan_AJ0 support_NN1 for_PRP raising_VVG the_AT0 gas_NN1 tax_NN1 when_CJS needed_VVN to_TO0 keep_VVI up_AVP with_PRP inflation_NN1 and_CJC demand_NN1 ._SENT 
