[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 132 (Monday, September 28, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11040-S11041]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CUT TAXES NOW

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, during the past several weeks the 
Senate has spent its time debating spending legislation. Now with only 
10 days remaining in the second session of this 105th Congress we are 
going to begin considering a supplemental spending bill.
  The American people are currently facing tax rates that are near all-
time highs. These excessive taxes are being imposed on the American 
people in spite of the fact that for the first time in a generation the 
Federal books are balanced. The first time since 1969, since Neil 
Armstrong walked on the Moon, the books are balanced and we have these 
near all-time high tax rates.
  Congress did some work in balancing the budget and restraining 
spending, but Americans did most of the work. And now that there is a 
surplus, they should be the first ones to get some relief. Currently, 
on average, 21 million American married couples are forced to shoulder 
an additional, on average, $1,400 in taxes simply because they are 
married. That is ridiculous. Congress now has the opportunity to 
correct this injustice by repealing the marriage penalty. And I want to 
say this very clearly: We can do so without touching the Social 
Security trust fund.
  We need to enact profamily, progrowth tax relief and eliminate the 
marriage penalty. That is an important first step that we need to move 
forward on reducing our horrendously high taxes in America. America 
clearly needs strong families. The family is the building block for our 
country and our hope for the future, and it is unconscionable the Tax 
Code of the United States is being used to subsidize something against 
the family, to penalize those who are married rather than living 
together, and creating disincentives towards marriage. We need to 
eliminate the marriage penalty during the remaining 11 days of this 
session of Congress. We have the time. We have the opportunity. The 
House has passed an $80 billion tax package that includes elimination 
of a portion of the marriage penalty. The Senate needs to move forward 
with this now.
  The American people should be the first to benefit from our budget 
surplus

[[Page S11041]]

with a reduction in their taxes this year. And we can do it without 
touching the Social Security trust fund. Elimination of the marriage 
penalty will serve this purpose. First, it will restrain the growth in 
the Federal Government, and more importantly will begin to keep 
Washington taxmongers out of people's wallets and out of their lives.
  During debate on the Treasury-Postal appropriation bill, the Senate 
spoke overwhelmingly in favor of a complete elimination of the marriage 
penalty. We need as large a tax cut as is possible, and in particular, 
as large a cut in the marriage penalty as possible.
  Finally, I would like to state my willingness to work in a bipartisan 
way with my colleagues across the aisle in providing the type of tax 
relief that I know we both want to give married couples laboring under 
this oppressive Tax Code.
  A couple of days ago, some of my colleagues were on the floor 
demanding that the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board begin to 
implement expansionary monetary policy by cutting interest rates. 
Cutting interest rates would incentivize investment and act as a 
stabilizing effect on many worldwide financial markets now teetering 
under a cloud of uncertainty.
  I think that is good, that the Federal Reserve should consider moving 
towards a more expansionist monetary policy, but I don't think we 
should require the Fed to do that. I believe we should let the Federal 
Reserve do its job and we should concentrate on doing our job. If 
Congress has the will to enact progrowth fiscal policy, I suggest it 
begin to do so by enacting the largest tax cut possible so we can help 
stimulate the financial markets, help in this uncertain financial 
situation that we have, and continue the growth taking place.
  We have a unique opportunity to substantially change our Tax Code 
treatment of married people. We can do so without touching the Social 
Security trust fund. There are other people who want to spend that 
money. I think we need to leave the money alone, create a real Social 
Security trust fund, and at the same time let's give people a little 
bit of their money back with a tax cut. The House has done this. Let's 
work together, let's push to finally be able to get some of that tax 
relief put in place.
  Last year, we cut taxes for the first time in 16 years. We need to 
continue that effort to cut taxes to continue to stimulate the economy, 
to continue to give people back a little bit of their money. We should 
start with married two-wage-earner couples who are being penalized by a 
Tax Code that doesn't make any sense at this point.
  So I urge my colleagues, let's work with the House and make this tax 
cut a reality. We can do it. We have spent a year talking about 
spending. Let's take a few days to talk about tax cuts.

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