WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Jim Oberstar’s office reached out to media outlets today to set the record straight on where the Democratic congressman from Minnesota’s 8th district stands on a measure that would tax drivers for miles traveled.

“It seems that some members of the press mistook Mr. Oberstar’s questions and observations about the VMT [Vehicle Miles Traveled] as statements of policy, when he was actually gathering information,” Oberstar spokesman John Schadl said in a statement.  “Hearings are structured to allow members of Congress to explore ideas by listening to testimony and asking questions that probe for the best solutions.  As chairman, that is the spirit Mr. Oberstar brings to his committee room and the task of drafting a transportation bill that meets the nation’s needs.”

In a hearing last week, Oberstar had made the following statements about the much-discussed VMT tax program:

“Why do we need a pilot program? Why don’t we just phase this in?” Oberstar asked in response to a recommendation by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-OR, to include a pilot program in this year’s transportation bill. Oregon already has piloted its own VMT program.

“There are many suggestions it would take five to 10 years. I think it could be done in far less than that, maybe two years,” Oberstar said.

He later called for a bipartisan meeting to discuss the VMT.

Citing these comments, an Associated Press article last week stated that Oberstar would like to “enact a mileage-based tax on cars and trucks to pay for highway programs now, rather than wait years to test the idea.”

Oberstar previously has indicated that he would be open to a VMT system, even snapping at White House press secretary Robert Gibbs after he reportedly dismissed the idea in February.

Schadl stressed on Monday, however, that the congressman has not endorsed the program and is still gathering information. He pointed to an article by Land Line Magazine — a trade publication for professional truckers — as an accurate portrayal of where Oberstar stands on the matter.

Drivers currently pay a tax on gallons of gasoline purchased, but it is not bringing in enough revenue to fund the federal highway system.

Supporters of a VMT argue that it would be a fairer option, taking into account the wear and tear on the roads by measuring the actual miles driven, rather than fuel efficiency. Critics, however, worry that tracking the miles an individual travels could result in an inappropriate intrusion into that person’s privacy.