March 3, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H697 Elected to Congress in 1960, Garner quickly The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there The answer is pretty clear. Not only became a close friend and advisor to another objection to the request of the gen- is the marriage tax penalty unfair, but famous KansanÐfellow classmate Bob Dole. tleman from Kansas? it is wrong that our Tax Code punishes During his tenure in Congress, Garner be- came an influential voice on significant There was no objection. a married working couple with two in- issues of the day, including health and edu- f comes with higher taxes than an iden- tical couple that chooses to live to- cation benefits for our nations veterans, and b the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Additionally, Gar- 1300 gether outside of marriage. Twenty-one ner effectively combined his political prow- CONGRESS HAS AN HISTORIC OP- million married working couples suffer ess and position on the powerful House Ap- PORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE an average marriage tax penalty of propriations Committee to make sure Kan- QUALITY OF OUR NATION'S EDU- $1,400 more in higher taxes just because sas was never overlooked during the federal they are married. budget process. And while championing the CATION rights of the average taxpayer, Garner was (Under the Speaker's announced pol- Some would say, why does that hap- often heard complaining that members spent icy of January 21, 1997, the gentleman pen? Under our current Tax Code, a married working couple with two in- ``too much of taxpayers' money on from California (Mr. MILLER) is recog- junketeering and increased staff.'' comes usually files jointly. When they In addition to being a loyal husband, Gar- nized during morning hour debates for 1 minute.) do, their combined income pushes them ner was a caring and loving father, an hon- into a higher tax bracket. ored public servant and a personal friend to Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. thousands of Kansans who, like us, will miss Speaker, this year the Congress has an Let me give an example here of a his wit and personal charm. Finally, we wish historic opportunity to improve the south suburban couple. I represent the to recognize, as was noted in his obituary, quality of our Nation's education. south side of Chicago, the south sub- that Garner viewed public service as a man- Teachers are the foundation of our en- urbs in Illinois, as well as a lot of bed- date for living a Christian life. We pray that tire educational system, but right now room communities and rural areas. Let the Lord gives us the same grace he provided we have a serious problem with the me give an example of a couple that Garner during his distinguished public ca- lives in Joliet. Say you have a machin- reer. way we prepare and deploy teachers. If there is anything we can do to help you One in four high school teachers does ist who is working at the Joliet Cat- during this difficult time, please do not hesi- not even have a college minor in the erpillar Manufacturing Plant, where tate to call. subject they teach. In high poverty they make heavy industrial equipment Sincerely, schools, the figure is one in two. like bulldozers and cranes and earth SAM BROWNBACK, Last week it was reported that U.S. movers. This machinist is making PAT ROBERTS, $30,500 a year in average income. If he U.S. Senate. students performed poorly in math and science compared to students in other is single, after standard deductions and TODD TIAHRT, exemptions, he is in the 15 percent tax JERRY MORAN, countries. It is no coincidence that JIM RYUN, many of these students' teachers have bracket, being taxed at the 15 percent VINCE SNOWBARGER, no math or science background. The rate. Members of Congress. Committee on Education and the Say he meets a gal and she is a public Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I join Workforce is about to mark up legisla- school teacher in the Joliet public my colleagues today in honoring the memory tion to upgrade teacher preparation schools. She has an identical income. of former Kansas Congressman Garner Shriv- and to attract talented individuals to This machinist who works the caterpil- er who was sadly taken from us this week. the profession of teaching. lar and this Joliet public school teach- Garner Shriver will always be remembered as I will offer my own legislation, H.R. er decide to get married. She has an in- one of Kansas' most effective and revered 2228, which would provide for the for- come of $30,500 as well. When you com- public servants. giveness of student loans to qualified bine their income when they file joint- Garner served his country as an enlisted entry-level teachers, increase profes- ly, it produces a $1,400 average mar- man and as an officer in the U.S. Navy during sional development of new teachers, riage tax penalty. Is that fair, just be- World War II. Upon his return, he served 12 strengthen the standards for federally- cause this machinist at Caterpillar and years in the Kansas Legislature and was later supported teacher programs, and re- this Joliet public school teacher decide elected to serve 8 consecutive terms in the quire schools to inform parents about to get married, that they should pay U.S. House of Representatives. the qualifications of their child's higher taxes just because they are mar- Here in the House of Representatives he teacher. ried? quickly became known as a tireless advocate I support reducing classroom size by I think it is wrong that our Tax Code for our nation's veterans and as a thorough hiring more teachers, but when it punishes this machinist and this school legislator who made sure Kansas was never comes to teachers, more is not enough. teacher. I believe we should make it a overlooked in needed federal appropriations. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. priority to eliminate the marriage tax A quiet, thoughtful man, Garner viewed his 2228. penalty. If we think about it, in Joliet public service as a Christian duty. In the proc- f Illinois, in the district I am proud to ess, he achieved great legislative successes represent, for this machinist and public benefiting both our nation and his home state ELIMINATE THE MARRIAGE TAX schoolteacher, $1,400 is a lot of money. of Kansas. PENALTY NOW That is one year's tuition at Joliet Garner Shriver was a skilled political leader Junior College, it is 3 months of day who helped shape the attitudes of an entire The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. care at a local day care center, it is generation of young Kansans. It is to his cred- SNOWBARGER). Under the Speaker's an- several months' worth of car payments it, that those of us who have gathered here nounced policy of January 21, 1997, the and a significant portion of a down today on the floor of the U.S. House of Rep- gentleman from Illinois (Mr. WELLER) payment on a new home. resentatives to pay tribute to him were among is recognized during morning hour de- The Marriage Tax Elimination Act, them. bates for 5 minutes. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, today I which now has 235 cosponsors, would Martha Jane, and their three children, Kay, rise to explain why enactment of the eliminate the marriage tax penalty and David, and Linda. Garner Shriver has left a Marriage Tax Elimination Act is so im- eliminate it now, because we would void that will surely be hard to fill. portant with a series of questions: Do give married working couples with two f Americans feel that it is fair that our incomes the power of choice to choose Tax Code imposes a higher tax penalty to file as two singles or jointly, which- GENERAL LEAVE on marriage? Do Americans feel that it ever is to their financial advantage. Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I ask is fair that 21 million married working The bottom line is, each individual, unanimous consent that all Members couples suffer a tax penalty of $1,400 this machinist and this schoolteacher, may have 5 legislative days within more in taxes just because they are under the Marriage Tax Elimination which to revise and extend their re- married? Do Americans feel that it is Act, would be able to enjoy the lower marks on the tribute to the late Honor- right that our Tax Code actually pro- tax rate and would be at the 15 percent able Garner E. Shriver. vides an incentive to get divorced? rate, allowing them to keep that $1,400. H698 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE March 3, 1998 There are a number of ideas out there poses a higher tax penalty on marriage? Do ing other family priorities. After all, parents for tax relief this year. President Clin- Americans feel it's fair that the average mar- know better than Washington what their family ton talks about the need for child care. ried working couple pays almost $1,400 more needs. In fact, he talks about expanding the in taxes than a couple with the almost iden- We fondly remember the 1996 State of the current child care tax credit. Let us tical income living together outside of mar- Union address when the President declared compare what that means. Under the riage? Is it right that our tax code provides an emphatically that, quote ``the era of big gov- President's child care tax credit, which incentive to get divorced? ernment is over.'' only families with children with in- In fact, today the only form one can file to We must stick to our guns, and stay the comes less than $50,000 would qualify avoid the marriage tax penalty is paperwork course.