WALLY HERGER: “it is projected that the Federal Government will take in more than $2 trillion in taxpayer overpayments over the next…”

“it is projected that the Federal Government will take in more than $2 trillion in taxpayer overpayments over the next decade, excluding Social Security dollars. Should we not use a small part of this surplus to correct one of the most onerous provisions of the U.S. Tax Code, the totally unfair marriage penalty? The bill we are considering today will provide real tax relief for 25 million married couples, 47,000 of which are in my district in northern California. This legislation will save taxpayers almost $90 billion over the next 5 years. It is important to remember that these are dollars that married taxpayers currently pay to the government for no other reason except that they are married. The Clinton-Gore administration claims that we cannot afford to give back to the taxpayers a small portion of their tax overpayment. Mr. Speaker, if we cannot afford to give the taxpayers back some of their own money when we have record budget surpluses, when will we be able to? When a couple stands at an altar and says, ``I do,'' they are not agreeing to higher taxes. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I hope that the President and the Vice President, Al Gore, would drop their opposition and sign this much-needed measure into law.”