[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 78 (Thursday, June 7, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        IN SUPPORT OF TAX RELIEF

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE McINTYRE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 7, 2001

  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, on May 26, the U.S. House of 
Representatives voted on the Economic Growth and Tax Relief 
Reconciliation Conference Report, H.R. 1836. I am pleased that the 
House moved forward with this bill because I support tax relief for 
millions of hard-working families. I would have voted for this family 
friendly legislation; however, it was brought to the floor during a 
time that had officially been scheduled since the beginning of the year 
as a district work period. Moreover, this vote fell on the morning 
after my oldest son's graduation commencement at Lumberton Senior High 
School, a ceremony in which he was a speaker and was the first in his 
class to receive his diploma as Senior Class President. I am very 
grateful for his many achievements and I could not miss this once-in-a-
lifetime event.
  As reflected in my earlier votes this year for tax relief, I would 
have supported H.R. 1836 because our families, small businesses, and 
family farmers need tax relief. This legislation is a bipartisan bill 
that will provide a marginal income tax rate reduction, estate tax 
relief, marriage penalty relief, and double the child-care tax credit.
  This bill provides for a gradual reduction in the tax rates that 
apply to individual income tax. American families have not received a 
broad-based federal tax cut since 1981, and many families need and want 
help now. Moreover, it will finally put an end to the incredibly unfair 
death tax, which for far too long has been effectively double-taxing 
the estates of hard-working Americans, destroying small, family-run 
businesses and draining our economy of its growth potential. It is 
clear that the estate tax in its current form is out-of-date and-out-
of-step with this nation's proud tradition of supporting family-owned 
businesses and farms.
  I am also pleased that the legislation includes an elimination of the 
marriage penalty. This bill would eliminate the average $1,400 tax 
penalty on 25 million married couples across the nation. Statistics 
show that approximately 51,000 couples in southeastern North Carolina 
would benefit from this legislation, which would wipe out the marriage 
tax penalty by doubling the standard deduction for married couples. 
This issue is a question of fairness. The current tax code punishes 
American couples by penalizing them with a higher tax bracket for 
entering into marriage. This policy is wrong and discourages 
individuals from entering into society's most basis institution. 
Congress should advocate policies that strengthen families and help 
businessmen and women succeed in the workplace, not tax them for 
supporting their families. In addition, I support an increase in the 
child tax credit to $1,000. This provision would double the child tax 
credit and help the families of almost 91,000 children in the Seventh 
District of North Carolina alone.
  Returning tax dollars to families and individuals will continue to be 
a top priority for me in this Congress. These and other fair and 
responsible tax relief bills are needed to put more money where it 
belongs, into the pockets of hard-working Americans.

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