[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13733]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                          MARRIAGE PENALTY TAX

  (Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today Americans are faced with 
the largest tax burden since World War II. What many people do not 
realize is that the Federal Government is really taxing American 
values. One of those values is marriage.
  If we get married, the Federal Government punishes us. We pay more in 
taxes just because we said I do. When we say ``I do,'' it ought to be 
to your sweetheart, not to the IRS.
  Our Federal Government should encourage, not discourage, marriage and 
families. Our sons and daughters who cannot afford to marry, never 
truly make a lifelong commitment to God and each other.
  Republicans in the House have spent the past few years passing tax 
bills to eliminate the marriage penalty only to see a Clinton-Gore 
administration veto. Enough is enough.
  We must repeal the tax on American values. Let us start by saying I 
do to repealing the marriage penalty tax.

                          ____________________