Fact ##33: Marriage of Inconvenience

Tony Perkins, FRC Washington Update: As the House and Senate Democrats workout their difference over their respective healthcare bills in secret, one area where there seems to be agreement is imposing a major tax penalty on married couples. Both the Senate and House have anti-marriage provisions. The Wall Street Journal breaks it down this way: "[F]or an unmarried couple with income of $25,000 each, combined premiums would be capped at $3,076 per year, under the House bill. If the couple gets married, with a combined income of $50,000, their annual premium cap jumps to $5,160--a 'penalty' of $2,084. Those figures were included in a memo prepared by House Republican staff."

Representative Geoff Davis (R-KY) is currently circulating a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for his Hill colleagues to sign, explaining to the Speaker that "government policy should not be constructed in such a way that either discourages individuals from marrying or provides an incentive for couples to divorce." The many versions of health care we have seen have been anti-life, anti-freedom, and anti-conscience. Will the final version be anti-marriage as well?

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