GOP senators say no gas tax to pay for Obama transportation budget

Twenty-two Republican senators are asking President Obama to explain where he would find the revenue to pay for his proposed increase in transportation funding.

The Republicans said they hoped the White House would not consider raising the gas tax to offset the costs of the 2012 budget request.  

"To communicate to our constituents whether or not the $435 billion trust fund represents a large gas tax increase, we respectfully request details on how the Administration calculated the amount of revenue it envisions for the 'Bipartisan financing for Transportation Trust Fund,' " the senators wrote.

"As energy prices continue to increase, we are hopeful that this new revenue stream proposed by the Administration would not be a new gas tax on American consumers."

The letter was signed by Republican Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), John Barrasso (Wyo.), John Boozman (Ark.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Scott Brown (Mass.), Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), Dan Coats (Ind.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), John Cornyn (Texas), John Ensign (Nev.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas), Johnny Isakson (Ga.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Mike Johanns (Neb.), Mike Lee (Utah), John McCain (Ariz.), James Risch (Idaho), Richard Shelby (Ala.), Olympia Snowe (Maine) and John Thune (S.D.).

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has defended Obama's budget proposal and said the president does not want to raise the gas tax at a time of high unemployment.

LaHood has not, however, said how the Obama administration would pay for the spending increase in the budget request, usually saying the administration wants to "work with Congress" on the details.