The chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. John Dingell, wants to introduce a bill that would charge U.S. drivers a 50-cent tax per gallon of gasoline to encourage less fuel use and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The fuel tax would also apply to jet fuel, and would be phased in over five years and then adjusted for inflation. Diesel fuel, however, would be exempt from the tax due to its lower rate of emissions, as well as biofuels that do not contain petroleum. And a $50 tax would apply to each ton of carbon produced from coal, petroleum and natural gas.

Ironically, the money from the taxes would go to the federal highway trust to pay for roads. But it could also help fund mass transit, which is what the tax should fund if the federal government really wants to encourage us to drive less.