Political Quotes

“Americans are slapped with extra taxes on everything from earning a work bonus, to buying a house, and are even taxed upon death. There is a tax designed for every stage of life, but perhaps the most immoral tax of all is the marriage tax. Over 28 million Americans pay an average of $1,400 extra in taxes each year simply because they are married. The marriage penalty punishes millions of married couples, almost 425,000 of them in my home State of Alabama, who file their income taxes jointly by pushing them into higher tax brackets. When the marriage tax first appeared in the tax code in 1969, most families had only one bread winner, and the tax provision was actually designed to give a tax cut, or a so-called 'marriage bonus' to one-income families. But the government ignored the eventual tax burden on families. Instead of dismantling this tax, the government continued to collect extra taxes from those who chose marriage, making it harder to raise their families. This current tax code makes it more expensive for couples to marry, immorally discouraging the most sacred of institutions--marriage. Congress is making strides to right the wrong of government's financially abusive punishment of marriage, the foundation on which strong families are built. To address this concern, I am proud to cosponsor the Marriage Tax Elimination Act, offered by the gentleman from Illinois, to eliminate the marriage penalty.”