Sam Brownback: “I hope that sends a strong signal across this country that today is a day to celebrate. We should be celebrating the…”

“I hope that sends a strong signal across this country that today is a day to celebrate. We should be celebrating the institution of marriage and support that institution rather than tax it. For many years now we have taxed it. Clearly, if there is a policy in Government that stands it is if you want less of something, tax it; if you want more of something, subsidize it. We have been taxing marriage, and marriage has fallen off in this country 43 percent over the last 30 years. That is a terrible situation for an institution that is so central. I note to my colleagues, we all frequently talk about family values. Thomas, from Hilliard, OH, writes in about this point on the marriage penalty and the notion of family values: No person who legitimately supports family values could be against this bill. The marriage penalty is but another example of how in the past 40 years the federal government has enacted policies that have broken down the fundamental institutions that were the strength of this country from the start. I could not have put it better.”