E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 144 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1998 No. 34 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. that question is: Why is enactment of tuition at Joliet Junior College. It is 3 f the Marriage Tax Elimination Act so months of day care at a local day care important for American families? And center and several months of car pay- MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE I think it is best to ask a series of ments and even a significant portion of A message from the Senate by Mr. questions. Do Americans feel that it is a down payment on a home. Lundregan, one of its clerks, an- fair that our Tax Code imposes a high- I mentioned child care and the Presi- nounced that the Senate had passed er tax on marriage? Do Americans feel dent talks about increasing the child care tax deduction. So a lot of ques- with an amendment in which the con- that it is fair that 21 million married tions are which is better, eliminating currence of the House is requested, a working couples, 42 million Americans, the marriage tax penalty or increasing bill of the House of the following title: pay on average $1,400 more in taxes that child care tax deduction. H.R. 2472. An act to extend certain pro- just because they are married, $1,400 more than an identical couple who I noted earlier that $1,400 is 3 grams under the Energy Policy and Con- months' worth of day care at a local servation Act. chooses to live together outside of mar- riage, even though they have identical day care center in Joliet, Illinois. One The message also announced that the of the President's ideas, expansion of incomes? Do Americans feel that it is Senate insists upon its amendment to the child care tax credit, the average right that our Tax Code actually pro- the House amendment to the Senate family that will qualify with a com- vides an incentive to get divorced? amendment to the bill (H.R. 2472) ``An bined income of less than $50,000, they Well, the answer is pretty clear: Of Act to extend certain programs under would see $358 more in net take-home course not. Not only is the marriage the Energy Policy and Conservation pay. Under the Marriage Tax Elimi- tax unfair, it is wrong. It is immoral Act,'' requests a conference with the nation Act, they would see $1,400 more that our Tax Code actually punishes House on the disagreeing votes of the in net take-home pay. And in Joliet, Il- our society's most basic institution, two Houses thereon, and appoints Mr. linois, $358 will pay for 3 weeks of day the institution of marriage. MURKOWSKI, Mr. NICKLES, Mr. CRAIG, care. Elimination of the marriage pen- Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Budg- Mr. THOMAS, Mr. BUMPERS, Mr. BINGA- alty for that machinist and that school et Office last year reported that 21 mil- MAN, and Mr. AKAKA, to be the con- teacher will pay for 3 months. ferees on the part of the Senate. lion married working couples paid on So which is better, 3 weeks or 3 average $1,400 more in taxes. f months of day care? Clearly, elimi- Let me share an example. I will take nation of the marriage tax would be a MORNING HOUR DEBATES a couple from Joliet, Illinois, a com- bigger help to this working family in munity in the district that I have the The SPEAKER. Pursuant to the Joliet, Illinois. privilege of representing. This one gen- Under the Marriage Tax Elimination order of the House of January 21, 1997 tleman is a machinist at the local Cat- the Chair will now recognize Members Act, we give this machinist and this erpillar manufacturing plant. He school teacher the power of choice from lists submitted by the majority makes $30,500 a year in income, and and minority leaders for morning hour where rather than filing jointly, which after taking out the standard exemp- penalizes them with a $1,400 marriage debates. The Chair will alternate rec- tion that he is able to claim as a single tax penalty, they can choose to file as ognition between the parties, with each person, he is in the 15 percent tax two singles. It would be to their finan- party limited to not to exceed 30 min- bracket, which means he is taxed at cial advantage and they would save utes, and each Member except the ma- the 15 percent tax rate. Say he meets a that $1,400 by enjoying the lower tax jority and minority leaders and minor- gal and she is a school teacher in the rate. ity whip limited to not to exceed 5 Joliet public schools and she has an What is the bottom line? The bottom minutes. identical income of $30,500. If they line is the Marriage Tax Elimination The Chair recognizes the gentleman choose to get married, their combined Act would put a married couple with from Illinois (Mr. WELLER) for 5 min- income of $61,000 pushes them into the two incomes on equal footing with the utes. 28 percent tax bracket, producing the working couple with identical income f average marriage tax penalty of $1,400. living together outside of marriage. In Joliet, Illinois, $1,400 is a lot of That is an issue of fairness, and I be- UNFAIRNESS IN TAX CODE: money. Here in Washington, D.C., it is lieve that we should stop punishing MARRIAGE TAX PENALTY a drop in the bucket. But for this cou- marriage. Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, there is ple, this machinist and public school In 1996, this Republican Congress an important question out there and teacher in Joliet, $1,400 is one year's helped families by providing for an b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H1381 H1382 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE March 24, 1998 adoption tax credit so that families Mr. Speaker, this is a comprehensive ply ensures that communities cannot could better afford to provide a loving bill. Its greatest achievement is in pro- get away with ignoring problems, or home for a child in need of adoption. In moting the two pillars of sound trans- worse, shifting them on to their neigh- 1997, this Republican Congress provided portation: balance and local decision- bors. These are unarguably Federal pri- for a $500-per-child tax credit which making. A balanced transportation orities. would benefit 3 million children in Illi- system is more efficient, cost effective, I think the text that best captures nois. $1.5 billion in higher take-home and it gives people choices about how the spirit of the ISTEA reauthorization pay will stay in Illinois to meet the they get to where they need to go to is to be found in the 58th chapter, 12th needs of local Illinois families rather live, work, and play. verse of Isaiah: than coming here to Washington. We Mr. Speaker, I am particularly Those from among you. believe that those Illinois families can pleased that in BESTEA all modes of Shall build the waste places; better spend their hard-earned dollars transportation are supported. BESTEA You shall rise up the foundations of many better at home than we can here in does great things for bicycling with generations; Washington. strong support of the Congressional Bi- And you shall be called the Repairer of the Mr. Speaker, this year let us help the cycle Caucus and a national campaign Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. American family again by eliminating to promote bikes. It requires increased the marriage tax penalty. Let us allow consideration of safety for cyclists. It I think ISTEA makes progress to- those 21 million married couples who adds important provisions to require wards this timeless goal and I, along are currently paying on average $1,400 that bike and pedestrian facilities be with the prophet Isaiah, am pleased to more, just because they are married, considered when new roads are support it. under our Tax Code to keep that planned, and it increases overall fund- f money to meet their own needs. Let us ing for the Enhancements and CMAQ HONESTY IS AN ABSOLUTE PRE- eliminate the marriage tax penalty and programs, which have been the key to REQUISITE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE let us pass the Marriage Tax Elimi- over $1 billion in cycling facilities. nation Act and let us do it now. BESTEA does great things for transit The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. f and transit does great things for our HEFLEY). Under the Speaker's an- communities, returning $4 in benefits nounced policy of January 21, 1997, the H.R. 2400, SURFACE in the environment, social and infra- gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. LEWIS) TRANSPORTATION FUNDING structure for every dollar that we in- is recognized during morning hour de- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under vest. Millions of us, whether we use bates for 5 minutes. the Speaker's announced policy of Jan- transit or not, have reasons to be b 1245 uary 21, 1997, the gentleman from Or- grateful for the record funding level of egon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) is recognized $36 billion over the next 6 years.