Juneau -- The Alaska House of Representatives Tuesday unanimously passed House Joint Resolution 20, sponsored by Representative Gail Phillips (R-Homer), which asks Congress to amend the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986 to eliminate the so-called "marriage tax penalty".

"For the past 28 years, married couples have paid a higher tax rate and have received a lower standard deduction than two single individuals would," said Phillips. "In the past year, nearly 21 million married couples paid an average of $1,400 more in taxes because of the marriage penalty."

HJR 20 emphasizes the Alaska Legislature's support for removing the discriminatory language from the Internal Revenue Code. HJR 20 also asks that the income tax rates paid by married couples be no higher and the standard deduction no lower than that of two single individuals.

"With the Federal government projected to run a surplus of $1.6 trillion over the next ten years, there is an opportunity for Congress to cut taxes so that hard-working Americans can keep more of their hard-earned money," Phillips said. "By amending the tax code to remove this odious penalty, Congress can demonstrate its willingness to honor the institution of marriage, rather than penalize it."

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= Gail Phillips, 37 K

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