Lawmakers clash over Trump gas tax holiday as Iran war drives prices higher

Democrats are urging the president to "end the war," while Republicans are split on whether the plan would deliver real relief.

"He's got to bring this war to an end if he wants these gas prices to come down," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. "And he's gotta stop this war and stop looking for other gimmicks."

"Why doesn't he just end the Iran war, which is an illegal war, so that would take care of those issues?" Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said. "He did not get authorization. It's on President Trump. And the rise in gasoline and everything else, it's on him."

"I mean we want to keep costs low," Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said. "Higher gas prices add costs to groceries and everything else, and so I think it's something worthy to consider, and I'd be amenable to it."

The suspension would potentially slash the cost of each gallon of gasoline by 18.4 cents and 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel. 

Support for suspending the gas tax has emerged from both parties, but other lawmakers have proposed alternative methods to address rising gas prices. 

"I think that year-round E-15 is a better idea," Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said. "Year-round, E-15 would bring down the price of gas maybe 30, 40 cents a gallon. You throw in our credit card bill, it would bring it down another dime, 15 cents a gallon. So I think those are probably two better ideas to do it."

While some lawmakers focused on lowering costs at the pump, others argued the U.S. should maintain or even escalate pressure on Iran despite rising prices.

"Let's finish Iran, the IRGC anyway, once and for all," Bacon said. "The Iranian people are great people, but their government is our enemy. They've been the most ruthless enemy that we've had over four decades."

"They should be pummeled," he said.

"Iran with a nuclear weapon is a threat to America and the whole region," Bacon said.