Dreier Votes to Make Permanent
Marriage Tax Penalty Relief

June 13, 2002

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Saying we “must end the unfair penalty on marriage once and for all,” Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, voted today to make permanent the marriage tax penalty relief made law last year. The Permanent Marriage Tax Penalty Relief Act of 2002, H.R. 4019 was approved with broad bipartisan support today, 271-142.

“It’s inherently unfair to penalize marriage, one of the fundamental building blocks of our society,” Dreier said. “We provided significant relief in last year’s tax cut package, and today we moved to make it permanent. It’s important that America’s working families be able to count on tax fairness in 2011 and beyond. With a tax savings of up to $1400 per year, marriage tax penalty relief gives these families money they can use for a car or mortgage payment, or to send their kids to college. It’s real relief for real needs.”

Due to an arcane Senate rule, the tax relief approved last year will expire after December 31, 2010. H.R. 4019 would make permanent the following marriage penalty relief provisions that were enacted in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act 2001:

• Increasing the standard deduction for married couples to twice the deduction for single taxpayers.
• Increasing the width of the 15% tax bracket for married couples.
• Increasing the phase-out range of the Earned Income Credit (EIC) by $3,000 for married couples.
• Simplifying the EIC to reduce tax complexity for low-income taxpayers.