[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 132 (Monday, September 29, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H8059]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PASS THE MARRIAGE TAX ELIMINATION ACT

  (Mr. WELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, let me ask a very simple and basic question. 
My colleagues, does the average American feel that it is fair, is it 
fair, that our Tax Code imposes a higher tax, a tax penalty, on 
marriage? Do Americans feel it is fair that the average married couple, 
21 million average married working couples, pay $1400 more in taxes 
than a working couple living together outside of marriage? That is 
wrong, that is immoral, my colleagues. We need to repeal and eliminate 
the marriage tax penalty on marriage.
  Let me quote an editorial in the Kankakee Daily Journal, a daily in 
my own congressional district:

       The marriage tax is an unfair imposition. The Code should 
     be rewritten to eliminate it. Laws should encourage rather 
     than discourage marriage. They should encourage rather than 
     discourage couples from staying together.

  It is an issue of fairness, my colleagues. That is why it is so 
important we pass the Marriage Tax Elimination Act, legislation that is 
now enjoying the bipartisan support of almost 190 Members of this 
House.
  Next year when we move forward with another balanced budget, in 1998, 
let us make the centerpiece of next year's budget elimination of the 
most unfair and immoral portion of our Tax Code, and that is the 
marriage tax penalty.

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