Clinton calls for gas tax holiday

Hillary Clinton will call today for suspending the federal gas tax this summer, trying to appeal to voters in Indiana and North Carolina struggling with record-high gas prices.

John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, first called for the so-called gas tax holiday, which would lift the 18.4-cent federal tax on each gallon of gas and 24.4-cent levy on each gallon of diesel.

But Clinton distinguishes her plan by saying hers is paid for -- by imposing a windfall profits tax on oil companies -- and wouldn't bleed tax revenue from the Highway Trust Fund, which pays for repairing bridges and roads.

Clinton also said she will make sure that the tax suspension is passed on to motorists by ordering the Federal Trade Commission to aggressively oversee service stations. Democratic rival Barack Obama has raised that concern in so far not supporting the gas tax suspension.

Both Clinton and Obama have similar plans to reduce oil dependency over the longer term.