FOR RELEASE: March 19, 2007

          Re-instituting the Marriage Tax Penalty, (meaning that a married couple will pay more than two single persons living together); increasing the capital gains rate; increasing the tax on dividends; decreasing the child tax credit; increasing the “death tax;” and raising the marginal tax rates are among the objectionable provisions in Fiscal Year 2009 budget that Democrats in the House of Representatives are proposing.

          Also misguided is the fact that passage of this budget would mean that the six million low-income American who pay no taxes now would no longer be exempt from taxation.  Further, the tax bills for about 27 million small business owners would increase by more than $4,000 a year each.  And, this budget proposal calls for an 8.8 percent ($82 billion) year-to-year increase in total non-emergency discretionary spending

          An analysis of this budget proposal shows that if it were passed, the average Virginia taxpayer would pay $3,120 more per person in federal taxes.  The total budget proposal would impose a $683 billion tax hike on American workers and businesses.  This would be the largest single tax increase in American history.  I voted against this tax-increasing budget plan, but it passed by a vote 212-to-207.

          I also have problems with the budget proposal that has come from the administration.  In particular, I believe that its budget plan places too much emphasis on sending money to foreign countries to fund an array of initiatives.  As I see it, this is a case of mis-placed priorities.  There are many challenges faced by cities and counties in the Fifth District and all across America that must be addressed and funded before we open the treasury and send so many American tax dollars abroad.  

          The House of Representatives has acted unwisely, in my opinion, by voting to pass legislation that mandates that group health plans provide the same benefits for mental and physical illness in all companies with at least 51 employees that provide group health insurance.  This covers substance abuse and mandates coverage for disorders such as incest, jet lag, gender identity disorder, necrophilia (erotic desire for dead bodies), transvestite fetishes (someone who adopts the dress or manner or sexual role of the opposite sex), and pedophilia (sexual desire in an adult for a child).  This bill passed 268-to-148.  I voted “No.”

          Prior to this bill's passage, some of us supported an alternative bill that had passed the Senate.  The legislation that I voted for supported a mental health parity bill that provided discretion rather than mandates for determining mental disorders to be covered.   I do not believe that the federal government should mandate coverage for jet lag, incest, gender identity disorders, pedophilia and the like.   This bill failed 196-to-221.

          Please keep in touch with me on issues that are important to you.  You may write Congressman Virgil Goode, 70 East Court Street, Room 215, Rocky Mount , VA 24151 ; or fax to 1-540-484-1459; or call toll-free to the Danville office, 1-800-535-4008.