[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21666]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  TIME TO END THE MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY

  (Mr. WELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I have often asked from the well of this 
House a pretty basic question. That is, is it right, is it fair under 
our tax code, that 21 million married working couples with two incomes, 
a husband and wife who are both in the work force, pay higher taxes 
under our Tax Code just because they are married? Is it right, is it 
fair, that a married working couple pays more in taxes than an 
identical couple with an identical income who live together outside of 
marriage?
  It is wrong that our Tax Code punishes society's most basic 
institution. I want to produce Shad and Michelle Hallihan from Joliett, 
Illinois, two public schoolteachers. They suffer the marriage tax 
penalty. Michelle and Shad are just one of the 21 million married 
working couples who suffer the marriage tax penalty.
  This House, the Senate, this Congress, this Republican Congress, has 
worked to eliminate the marriage tax penalty. In fact, we passed as 
part of the Financial Freedom Act legislation which essentially wipes 
out the marriage tax penalty for the majority of those who suffer.
  The question is, will the President join with us in signing into law 
our effort to eliminate the marriage tax penalty?

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