Misguided Marriage Penalties In Dems New Bill Called In To Question

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Oregan Sen. Ron Wyden, Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney along with 32 other GOP senators chastised the Democrats’ reconciliation bill Thursday for including “marriage penalties.”

“Current marriage penalties occur when a household’s overall tax bill increases due to a couple marrying and filing taxes jointly,” the letter read.

Adding, “A number of other federal programs, such as Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Section 8 housing assistance, also create marriage penalties by eliminating or reducing benefits for couples who marry.”

According to the letter, the reconciliation bill could nearly double the $1,578 “marriage penalty” for a couple. If, for example, one spouse earns $12,000 and the other earns $30,000, there would be additional taxes imposed on the married couple that would consume more than 6% of their annual earnings.

“Marriage is a vital social good, and the foundation of strong families and strong communities,” Romney wrote on Twitter. “It is misguided and unfair to disincentive couples from marrying.”

Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Susan Collins of Maine, and Marco Rubio of Florida also signed the letter. The Democrats’ reconciliation bill would cost an estimated $3.5 trillion.