What Happened?

If you drive an electric car, Congress may soon send you a yearly bill for using the roads, and the trade group for the companies that build those roads is lobbying for a fee. The American Road and Transportation Builders Association reported spending $165,000 lobbying from July through September, up from $105,000 the quarter before, in its federal lobbying disclosure, according to a Legis1 review of the filing. ​

The group, known as ARTBA, lobbied on the House’s five-year highway bill, called the BUILD America 250 Act, and on a separate Senate bill that would charge a fee on electric vehicles. It also pushed for faster federal permitting for road projects.

Why Does It Matter To Me?

The federal fund that pays for highways gets most of its money from gas and diesel taxes, and electric vehicle drivers don’t pay them. The House bill would charge $130 a year for each electric vehicle and $35 for each plug-in hybrid, rising to $150 and $50 starting in 2029, Reuters reported, as summarized by Autoblog.

The Senate bill, the Fair SHARE Act from Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), takes a different approach. It would charge carmakers a fee when an electric vehicle is sold, with the money going into the Highway Trust Fund, according to Fischer’s office.

Both Sides, Now

Supporters, including ARTBA and the American Trucking Associations, say electric vehicle drivers use the roads too and should help pay for them. The Associated General Contractors of America and battery maker Samsung SDI America also reported lobbying on Fischer’s bill.

The Sierra Club called the House fee “an irresponsible tax for EV and plug-in hybrid drivers” and objected to the bill’s cuts to charging station funding, in a May 18 statement. The Electrification Coalition, an advocacy group, notes that the average gas-powered car pays about $88 a year in federal fuel taxes, less than the proposed electric vehicle fee.

What Happens Next?

Federal highway programs were set to expire Sept. 30. A stopgap signed Wednesday, Sept. 2, extended them through Friday, Dec. 11, Construction Dive reported, and Congress won’t return from its election break until Monday, Nov. 9.

The House highway bill cleared the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 62-2 on Friday, May 22, but still needs a tax section from the Ways and Means Committee before a full House vote. The Senate hasn’t released its own version. Fischer’s bill has sat in the Senate Finance Committee since February 2025.

---

AllCiv makes it easy to stay politically informed and involved.

---

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article