Against the Tide, by Lincoln Chafee: on Tax Reform

Bill Clinton: 2000: Vetoed abolition of the Marriage Tax

Now that we no longer had to spend enormous sums to counterbalance the former Soviet Union, it was time to do constructive things with our hard-won surplus. Both parties overwhelmingly supported fixing the marriage penalty.

President Clinton also vetoed the Marriage Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2000, calling it "poorly targeted and one part of a costly and regressive tax plan that reverses the principle of fiscal responsibility that has contributed to the longest economic expansion in history." He was right, and most Republican senators agreed privately that he was right.

Denny Hastert: Across-the-board $1.6 trillion tax cut is bad public policy

This was the first big fight the president sparked in the Congress.

Lincoln Chafee: 2000: Repeal the marriage tax penalty

In the Fiscal Year 2000 federal budget, majorities from both parties in Congress expressed support in the past year for reform of the estate tax and repeal of the so-called marriage tax penalty. This appears to be an area of great promise for early bipartisan cooperation. Democrats can be expected to support reform in both these areas at least to the extent contained in the substitute amendments proposed this past summer by the fiscally irresponsible Senator Moynihan.

Lincoln Chafee: Draw down budget surplus to pay to abolish Marriage Tax

Now that we no longer had to spend enormous sums to counterbalance the former Soviet Union, it was time to do constructive things with our hard-won surplus. Both parties overwhelmingly supported fixing the marriage penalty.

I parted ways with my leadership on these votes and supported Democratic amendments that targeted the relief where it was needed. I argued, "We're in the majority. Let's pass a bill that President Clinton will sign and then remind the voters that it was our bill."