Reps. Gillen, Van Drew and Kean, Jr. Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Lower Commuting Costs for Working Americans
The Lowering Commuting Costs Act would create the first personal tax deduction of more than $4,000 a year for commuting costs
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Laura Gillen (D-NY-04) alongside Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02) and Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ-07) introduced the bipartisan Lowering Commuting Costs Act to deliver relief from rising commuting costs for working Americans. This legislation would create a federal income tax deduction, more than $4,000 a year or $340 a month, for personal commuting expenses, including the cost of gas, public transit and tolls such as New York City’s congestion pricing.
“Hardworking Long Islanders are forced to pay skyrocketing costs just to get to work, making the cost of living crisis even worse,” said Rep. Gillen. “With the rising price of gas, LIRR fares and the NYC congestion tax, working families are left with no affordable way to get to their jobs. This bipartisan bill will help families save money as they commute to work and contribute to the economy by creating the first-ever tax credit for personal commuting expenses.”
“For millions of Americans, just getting to work every day is expensive,” said Rep. Van Drew. “Gas is expensive, tolls are expensive, and for a lot of families, those costs add up to thousands of dollars a year. If businesses can deduct the cost of doing business, working people should be able to deduct what it takes to get to and from their jobs. I am proud to join Congresswoman Gillen on this bill and give some of that money back to the people who earn it.”
"Commuting costs strain hardworking New Jerseyans' bottom lines," said Rep. Kean, Jr. "The Lowering Commuting Costs Act would create a new deduction for taxpayers to save thousands of dollars of costs incurred when commuting, whether on train fare, on congestion pricing tolls, and more. I am proud to co-lead this bill to help families keep more of their hard-earned money and reduce the monetary strain of daily commutes."
“New York City Firefighters are struggling with high costs as it is, on top of paying thousands a year just commuting to their stations to save lives,” said Bobby Eustace, President, Uniformed Firefighters Association. “Because they have to carry heavy gear to work every day, taking public transit to work isn't realistic. Rising gas prices and paying the daily congestion tax have been a massive financial burden. We really appreciate Congresswoman Gillen and her colleagues stepping up for our members and trying to make our daily commutes more affordable.”
The IRS currently allows taxpayers to deduct the business use of a car, including driving between work locations and running business errands, but it does not allow a federal income tax deduction for personal commuting expenses.
The Lowering Commuting Costs Act would help relieve rising commuting costs by establishing an above-the-line tax deduction of more than $4,000 a year ($340 a month) for commuting costs, including the cost of gas, public transit, parking and tolls such as New York City’s congestion pricing. The tax credit would also stack with pre-tax commuter “fringe” benefits afforded by employers.
Rep. Gillen has consistently advocated for policies that lower costs and provide tax relief for Long Island families. Since taking office, she has led efforts to restore the full State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction, including a measure to eliminate the SALT cap. She also introduced bipartisan legislation to lower Long Islanders’ taxes by adjusting their federal tax brackets to reflect the local cost of living. Rep. Gillen also recently led bipartisan legislation to help lower car insurance rates by cracking down on staged “crash for cash” schemes.
The full bill text can be found here.
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