WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - The chair of the House

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee wants to collect

funds from electric vehicles to help pay for U.S. highway

repairs as part of a surface transportation bill.

Representative Sam Graves, a Republican, said he plans to

take up a multi-year bill in early April. Last year, House

Republicans proposed a new $250 annual fee on EVs and $100 for

hybrid EVs but it was not included in a massive tax and spending

bill. The current five-year surface transportation law expires

on September 30.

"We would like to get money from EVs," Graves said at a U.S.

Chamber of Commerce infrastructure event, saying he expects the

five-year bill to include $500 billion to $550 billion in

funding for highways and bridges.

Some states charge fees for EVs to cover road repair costs.

Congress for the past three decades has opted not to hike fuel

taxes to pay for rising road repair costs. Some Republican

senators in February 2025 proposed a $1,000 tax on EVs for road

repair costs.

Most revenue for federally funded road repairs is collected

through diesel and gasoline taxes, which EVs do not pay.

Last year, the Electrification Coalition, an EV advocacy

group, argued a $250 fee for EVs was unfair since an average

gas-powered vehicle pays just $88 yearly in federal gas taxes.

Since 2008, more than $275 billion - including $118 billion

from the 2021 infrastructure law - has been shifted from the

general fund to pay for road repairs.

The Trump administration has taken a series of steps to

disincentivize EV sales, including repealing a $7,500 EV tax

credit last year.

Given the November congressional election, some lawmakers

say it will be challenging to reach a deal by September 30 on

funding.