Biden wants a gas tax holiday. Some economists say that's a bad idea

President Biden pitched a three-month break on the federal fuel tax to help American drivers face the highest inflation in four decades, but critics said the proposal is unlikely to work. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

President Biden said Wednesday that he wants Congress to give consumers a break on the federal gas tax for the summer months.

That would mean the government would stop collecting the tax — 18 cents per gallon on gas and 24 cents per gallon on diesel — until the end of September, the peak driving period for people heading out on summer vacations.