[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 28, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H71-H72]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          UNFAIRNESS IN THE TAX CODE: THE MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY

  (Mr. WELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, today I want to raise the issue of the 
marriage tax penalty. Let me just frame this issue by asking some very 
simple questions. Do Americans feel that it is fair that a married 
working couple with two incomes pays higher taxes than a similar couple 
living together outside a marriage? Do Americans feel that it is fair 
that the average married working couple, two incomes, pays $1,400 more 
in higher taxes? Do Americans feel that it is fair that our Tax Code 
actually provides an incentive to get divorced? In fact, the only way a 
married

[[Page H72]]

working couple that pays a marriage tax penalty can avoid it is to file 
for divorce. That is just wrong.
  Think about it. Fourteen hundred dollars, that is a lot of money back 
in Illinois and throughout this country. Fourteen hundred dollars is 1 
year's tuition in a local community college, 3 to 4 months of day care 
or child care at a local day care center.
  We need to make a bipartisan priority this year the elimination of 
the marriage tax penalty. In fact we look to President Clinton to join 
with us to make it a bipartisan priority to eliminate the marriage tax 
penalty.

                          ____________________