In his latest attempt to pull our economy out of its nosedive, President Joe Biden is trying to sell Congress on repealing the roughly 18-cent-per-gallon federal tax on gasoline for three months, the peak driving period for people heading out on summer vacations.

Biden hopes to be credited for saving you three or four bucks every time you fill up.

At this time last year, when gasoline averaged about $3 per gallon, that would have meant something. However, with gasoline hovering around $5 per gallon and sometimes jumping as much a 30 cents overnight, it doesn’t mean much.

When we filled our tank earlier this week, the pump showed the previous driver paid $130 for gasoline. Four bucks is hardly a drop in the gas tank.

Biden also is urging states to put a temporary moratorium on their gasoline taxes. State gas taxes vary from 9 cents a gallon in Alaska to 57.6 cent per gallon in Pennsylvania, the highest in the nation.

There has been no word from lame-duck Gov. Tom Wolf on whether he is lockstep in support of his fellow Democrat’s proposal.

In Congress, both parties seem to be lacking in support for the president’s plan. Some say it is another example of the Biden White House throwing money at a problem to fix it.

"What the administration, of course, is coming up with is yet another gimmick, another Band-Aid and something they know is dead on arrival up here in Congress," said Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican leader.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, called it a “silly proposal.”

Democrats, who hold a slim majority in Congress, did not give Biden's idea a ringing endorsement either.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer indicated it was unlikely such a bill would advance.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the federal gasoline tax brings in $45 billion a year, which covers nearly all the $47 billion last year in federal highway spending, money used for construction and repairs. How would we fix our deteriorating roads if that money doesn’t roll in?

Although Biden’s proposal would provide temporary relief at the pump, the real problem lies with Big Oil.

The president pointed to record profit margins from oil and gas companies that are driving gas price increases. He has criticized oil refining companies for not producing more gasoline, and wants them to “justify making $35 billion in the first quarter” of this year.

Biden and his fellow Democrats are in a tough political spot heading into November midterm elections. Republicans blame him for high gas prices and out-of-control inflation. Polls shows Americans are very dissatisfied with how Biden is handling the economy.

So there is a real demand for him to do something. Senior administration officials told reporters that a gas tax holiday won't fix all the problems, but they say it will provide families a little help while they work on more permanent solutions.

But Congress needs to investigate the huge profits margins oil refiners reported so far this year. Congress should do whatever it can to put the squeeze on gasoline producers instead of consumers. Hold them accountable for the surge in prices while they reap record profits.

As Sen. Thune said, Biden’s approach to the problem is “another Band-Aid.”

– JGG