[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 44 (Thursday, April 18, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             MAKE THE MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY RELIEF PERMANENT

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                          HON. GEORGE W. GEKAS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 18, 2002

  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to lend my strong support for 
making the marriage tax penalty relief permanent. Last May Congress 
passed historic tax relief which included marriage penalty tax relief. 
Unfortunately, the tax package, including the marriage tax penalty 
relief, is sunset to expire in 2011.
  Prior to passage of the tax relief legislation, the U.S. tax code 
penalized over 25 million married couples, costing them an average of 
$1,400 in additional taxes over that of two people living together 
outside of marriage. This discrepancy, justifiably, became known as the 
``Marriage Tax Penalty.''
  The tax relief package passed by Congress phased out the marriage tax 
penalty, providing billions in tax relief over 10 years for married 
couples. However, due to the compromise reached with the Senate, the 
marriage tax penalty relief is set to expire in 2011. Thus, in 2011, 
once again, millions of married couples will be faced with paying more 
taxes simply because they are married.
  Mr. Speaker, the strength of America rests on the solid foundation of 
the American family. For too long our federal tax policy has chipped 
away at that foundation. Under Republican leadership and with the 
leadership of President Bush, Congress has taken an important step 
toward reaffirming the centrality of marriage in the American society. 
Let's not hang the specter of future tax penalties over the heads of 
our current and future American families. We must eliminate the 
Marriage Tax Penalty once and for all.
  I thank the gentleman from Illinois, my good friend Mr. Weller, for 
his strong and consistent advocacy of tax fairness, especially in this 
vital area of marriage taxes. I have been proud to fight with Mr. 
Weller on this issue for so long. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
voting to eliminating this onerous burden on marriage and make the 
marriage tax penalty relief pen-nanent.

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