US Dem. candidate Barack Obama has said a proposal by Rep. nominee John McCain for a federal gas tax holiday is McCain's 'latest scheme'.

On Saturday, Obama claimed that such a holiday from federal gas taxes would weaken the nation's highway and bridge infrastructure, potentially putting lives at risk.

McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds released a statement saying, "I'm sure he didn't call gas tax relief a 'scheme' when he voted for it in the Illinois Senate. Barack Obama is now more interested in ambitions than solutions."

Obama supported a temporary sales tax holiday back in 2000 in Illinois while he was a state lawmaker but opposed a permanent elimination of the tax, saying benefits were not being passed on to consumers.

NA/BGH