[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 22208]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                ELIMINATION OF 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, is it right, is it fair that under our tax 
code married working couples pay more in taxes just because they are 
married? Is it right, is it fair that 21 million married working 
couples pay higher taxes than identical couples with identical incomes 
who live together outside of marriage? Of course it is wrong.
  Let me introduce to my colleagues Michelle and Shad Hallihan, public 
school teachers from Joliet, Illinois. They suffer the marriage tax 
penalty. Twenty-one million married working couples pay an average 
$1,400 more in higher taxes just because they are married.
  Now, $1,400 in Joliet, Illinois, where Shad and Michelle live, is one 
year's tuition at Joliet Junior College. It is 3 months of day-care at 
a local child care center. It is also several months' worth of car 
payments.
  This Republican Congress believes we should eliminate the marriage 
tax penalty. We passed legislation as part of the Financial Freedom 
Act, our tax cut, to eliminate the marriage tax penalty for a majority 
of those who suffer it, people like Michelle and Shad Hallihan.
  My colleagues, the question is will the President join with us? Does 
he want to spent the money here in Washington, or does he want to 
eliminate the marriage tax penalty?
  Mr. President, sign the tax cut. Let us eliminate the marriage tax 
penalty for Michelle and Shad Hallihan.




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