Sam Johnson hounds IRS to increase gas mileage rate
Promotes tapping American energy resources to ease pain at the pump
Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) took to the floor of the U.S. House to call on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to increase the 2011 gas mileage rate deduction and to advocate a comprehensive all-of-the-above strategy to reduce the pain at the pump. This marks Johnson’s second floor speech since Johnson sent a letter to IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman earlier this month with the mileage increase request.
Currently the IRS mileage rate is 51 cents for business travel; the medical and moving rate is 19 cents. (The charitable rate of 14 cents is set by law.) The IRS increased the optional mileage rates due to spiking gas prices in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina and in 2008.
To read a copy of Johnson’s letter to IRS Commissioner Douglas H. Shulman, go to SamJohnson.house.gov. Constituents interested in sharing their story about how a higher mileage rate would improve their quality of life are encouraged to call the District Office at 972-470-0892.
To watch Johnson’s floor speech, go to his official You Tube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/RepSamJohnson#p/u/0/K9BaKomgSfg.
Johnson represents portions of Dallas and Collin Counties.
Johnson’s remarks follow:
“Soaring gas prices are impacting Americans all over the country. With gas costing nearly four bucks a gallon, drivers are forced to rethink how they get around.
“With families and businesses tightening their budgets, rising gas prices are exactly what they don’t need, exactly when they don’t need it.
“This is why I’m calling on the IRS to increase the gas mileage deduction, like it did in 2005 and ‘08.
“To ease the pain at the pump taxpayers want, need, and deserve this fair, simple, common-sense solution and for us to tap America’s home-grown energy resources right here – right now.
“Call the White House at 202-456-1414 and tell them to get with it.”