Political Quotes

“let me ask a very simple and basic question. My colleagues, does the average American feel that it is fair, is it fair, that our Tax Code imposes a higher tax, a tax penalty, on marriage? Do Americans feel it is fair that the average married couple, 21 million average married working couples, pay $1400 more in taxes than a working couple living together outside of marriage? That is wrong, that is immoral, my colleagues. We need to repeal and eliminate the marriage tax penalty on marriage. Let me quote an editorial in the Kankakee Daily Journal, a daily in my own congressional district: The marriage tax is an unfair imposition. The Code should be rewritten to eliminate it. Laws should encourage rather than discourage marriage. They should encourage rather than discourage couples from staying together. It is an issue of fairness, my colleagues. That is why it is so important we pass the Marriage Tax Elimination Act, legislation that is now enjoying the bipartisan support of almost 190 Members of this House. Next year when we move forward with another balanced budget, in 1998, let us make the centerpiece of next year's budget elimination of the most unfair and immoral portion of our Tax Code, and that is the marriage tax penalty.”