Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Abstract
Excise taxes have long been a part of our country's revenue history. The federal government first imposed its excise tax on gasoline at a one-cent per gallon rate in 1932 to correct a federal budgetary imbalance. The burden for much of the tax ultimately falls on the consumer. The Highway Revenue Act of 1956 established the federal Highway Trust Fund for the direct purpose of funding the construction of an interstate highway system and aiding in the finance of primary, secondary, and urban routes. This act increased the tax on gasoline from two to three cents per gallon. President Bush recently signed a piece of legislation that calls for the extension of the Highway Trust Fund excise tax and an eventual expiration after September 30, 2011
