WASHINGTON, D.C. – The high cost of diesel fuel has been threatening the whole North American trucking industry since the beginning of the year, but don’t expect any relief from Washington any time soon.

In a 43-56 vote on April 11, the U.S. Senate failed to invoke closure on S. 2285, a bill introduced by Sen. Trent Lott (R.-Missouri) that would have allowed for the immediate repeal of the 4.3 cents per gallon federal fuel tax, effectively killing it. The vote to invoke closure would have limited debate on the bill to 30 hours. Had the motion passed, the senate would have continued debate and taken an up or down vote on the bill.

The federal fuel tax was originally added to the price of fuel back in 1993. Revenue from the tax is currently dedicated to the highway trust fund, and the Lott Bill would have restored the lost revenue to the fund from general funds. The bill also provided for a further reduction in the federal taxes imposed on gasoline if the average price rose above a $2 per gallon average. n