[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book II)]
[September 13, 2000]
[Pages 1810-1811]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on the Congressional Effort To Override the Veto of Marriage 
Penalty Tax Relief Legislation
September 13, 2000

    Through 7 years of tough choices and fiscal discipline, we have 
changed record deficits to surpluses, paid down the debt for 3 years in 
a row, and put America on course to be debt-free by 2012. As today's 
vote demonstrates, the majority in Congress still seems to be determined 
to knock America off this path of fiscal discipline with a 10 year tax 
plan that will drain nearly $2 trillion from the surplus and drive us 
back into deficits.

[[Page 1811]]

    I urge Congress to work with me on a middle-class tax cut to help 
Americans send their children to college, provide long-term care for 
elderly or disabled relatives, make child care more affordable, and 
provide targeted marriage penalty tax relief. If the majority in 
Congress is serious about paying down the debt, they should abandon the 
failed tax plan they continue to advocate and work with me to pass tax 
cuts targeted to America's families, strengthen Social Security and 
Medicare, create a voluntary Medicare prescription drug benefit, invest 
in education, and keep America on course to be debt-free by 2012. This 
is the best approach for America.

Note: The President vetoed H.R. 4810, the ``Marriage Tax Relief 
Reconciliation Act of 2000,'' on August 5.