No Track No Tax Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 781
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Taxation
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2025-06-05T10:23:39Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "No Track No Tax Act of 2025" (H.R. 781) aims to block the use of any federal money for developing or enforcing taxes based on how many miles a vehicle travels (known as a mileage tax). This includes preventing funding for systems that track vehicle mileage, which could be used to support such taxes.
Key Provisions
- Short Title (Section 1): The bill is officially named the "No Track No Tax Act of 2025."
- Funding Prohibition (Section 2): No federal funds can be spent or committed—directly or indirectly—to study, suggest, create, put into place, or enforce a mileage tax at the federal, state, or local level. This ban specifically includes any funding for programs that track vehicle mileage.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new restriction on federal spending, overriding other laws that might allow federal funds for transportation research or infrastructure projects. It would halt ongoing or future federal support for exploring mileage-based taxes as an alternative to traditional fuel taxes (like gas taxes), which are becoming less effective due to more fuel-efficient vehicles and electric cars. No existing law explicitly bans such funding, so this would create a clear prohibition.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Federal agencies, such as the Department of Transportation, would be unable to allocate funds for mileage tax studies or tracking technologies, potentially slowing innovation in road funding mechanisms.
- On Citizens: Drivers and vehicle owners would face no federally backed push for mileage tracking or taxes, preserving current fuel-based taxation systems and avoiding potential privacy concerns from vehicle monitoring.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic transportation funding and does not address foreign policy or global agreements.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Government: Agencies involved in transportation and budgeting, including Congress and the Department of Transportation, which would lose flexibility in funding research.
- State and Local Governments: States exploring alternatives to declining gas tax revenue (e.g., for road maintenance) would be cut off from federal assistance for mileage-based options.
- Citizens and Drivers: Individuals concerned about vehicle tracking privacy or changes to vehicle taxes, who may benefit from maintaining the status quo.
- Transportation and Automotive Industries: Companies developing tracking tech or efficient vehicles might see reduced federal incentives for mileage-based systems.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill uses Congress's constitutional power to control federal spending (under Article I, Section 9), making it a straightforward spending restriction. It applies broadly to "any other provision of law," potentially preempting conflicting statutes without needing court challenges.
- Constitutional: No major issues, as it limits federal action rather than infringing on state rights or individual freedoms directly; however, it could indirectly affect state autonomy in tax policy by withholding cooperative funding.
- Political: This could spark debate over adapting transportation funding to modern vehicles (e.g., electric cars), with supporters viewing it as protecting privacy and opponents seeing it as blocking needed revenue solutions for infrastructure. As an introduced bill referred to the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, it reflects partisan divides on taxation and surveillance.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- No Track No Tax Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (2 pages)