[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 110 (Monday, September 18, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 MARRIAGE TAX RELIEF RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2000--VETO MESSAGE FROM THE 
                     PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. J.C. WATTS, JR.

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 13, 2000

  Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
overriding the Clinton/Gore Administration's veto of the Marriage Tax 
Penalty Relief Reconciliation Act pending before the House today, and 
urge my colleagues to join me in supporting hard working American 
families by voting ``yes'' on this override today.
  This is about people. It is about families. It is about hard working 
moms and dads who work from paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet. Why 
should the government increase their taxes just because they are 
married? It not only doesn't make sense, it just isn't right.
  And this injustice is not affecting just a few American families. 
According to the Congressional Budget Office, more than 25 million 
couples pay an average of $1,400 a year to the IRS just because they 
are married. This is unconscionable, and it has to stop.
  Mr. Speaker, I am tired of the misleading tirade coming from those 
whose agenda is to keep taxpayers' money in Washington because they 
want to spend the federal budget surplus on more government 
bureaucracy. This bill is not tax relief for the rich. The fact is that 
marriage penalty relief is middle class tax relief because middle-
income families are hit the hardest by this penalty. Most marriage 
penalties occur when the higher-earning spouse makes between $20,000 
and $75,000 per year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. If 
these couples had remained single and just lived together they would 
not be facing this increased tax penalty. And increasing a couple's 
taxes just because they have chosen to make a commitment to one another 
in marriage, and work to build a future together, is just plain wrong.
  I firmly believe that the tax revenue surplus is the American 
people's money, not Washington's. We should start giving back some of 
this tax surplus to families who work hard to put food on the table, 
clothe their children, pay their taxes, and who are currently forced to 
sacrifice their family time to earn a little more money to make ends 
meet.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting these hardworking moms 
and dads and vote ``yes'' to override the Clinton/Gore veto of the 
Marriage Tax Penalty Relief bill.

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