Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
A Democratic Congressman reintroduced legislation last Friday that would place a 1000 percent excise tax on so-called “assault weapons” and “high-capacity magazines.”
Table of contents
H.R.5135 aka the “Assault Weapons Excise Tax”
Rep. Don Beyer (VA) is joined by 24 other House Dems in bringing back what’s known as the “Assault Weapons Excise Tax.”
H.R.5135 – “To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose an additional 1,000 percent excise tax on the sale of large capacity ammunition feeding devices and semiautomatic assault weapons, and for other purposes,” reads the filing.
While the full text of this year’s iteration has yet to be released, the 2022 version placed the tax on any centerfire semi-automatic rifle, shotgun, or pistol that can accept a detachable magazine and has any one of a list of distinguishing features.
The "Assault Weapon" Tax Act may be a Democrat-sponsored bill, but any Republican not publicly denouncing this insanity may as well sign their name to it.
— Firearms Policy Coalition (@gunpolicy) August 8, 2023
Partisan politics has given Fudds a pass for far too long. Nobody gets the benefit of the doubt anymore. pic.twitter.com/SWr7FbeL4o
Comment from the Bill’s Sponsor
“Congress must take action to stem the flood of weapons of war into American communities, which have taken a terrible toll in Uvalde, Buffalo, Tulsa and too many other places,” Rep. Beyer said last year.
“Again and again assault weapons designed for use on the battlefield have been used in mass shootings at schools, grocery stores, hospitals, churches, synagogues, malls, theaters, bars and so on,” he continued.
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Essentially, the goal of this bill is to 10x the cost of black rifles and magazines to make them unaffordable to the average citizen. For example, a $600 gun would cost $6,000 if H.R. 5135 were to become law.
Colion Noir Reacts
It’s a systematic way to disarm the most vulnerable in our society, as Colion Noir observed in this post on Twitter:
Democrats demand a 1000% Tax On AR-15s & Magazines
— Colion Noir (@MrColionNoir) August 8, 2023
This jaw-dropping legislation aims to price regular working-class folks and even middle-class Americans out of their right to bear arms.
AR-15s are protected by the 2nd amendment (in shape of rifle)
➡️ https://t.co/NoLnE1bMn5… pic.twitter.com/nYa2gAJjdl
Noir also pointed out that it would, if passed, have virtually no impact on gun violence as ARs are rarely used in gun crimes.
Chances It Becomes Law
GunsAmerica contacted the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearms industry trade association, for comment.
“This legislation would be laughable if it wasn’t revealing the contempt for which Representative Beyer and his gun control allies on Capitol hold against lawful firearm ownership,” said Mark Oliva, NSSF’s managing director of public affairs in an email to GunsAmerica.
“Instead of focusing on holding criminals responsible for their actions, Congressman Beyer would instead grab at headlines to show just how hostile he really is against the Constitutional rights he’s taken an oath to protect,” he continued.
“Thankfully, this legislation is dead on arrival. There is no possibility of this unserious bill ever being considered by this Congress,” Oliva concluded.
Amen to that!
But if things change, and this legislation makes it out of committee, we’ll be the first to let you know. As always, stay tuned for updates.
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Bill Clinton tried a 1,000% tax on ammunition. The Democrats want all poor people defenseless because they don’t pay enough taxes to matter to their spending plans.
Ahh, now we see the usual side the Democrats show us. Confiscation. Of money.
Rake in the revenue.
Another politician who wants an unarmed society so they can do what they want.
With the moron’s proposal, the price for a SEMI-auto would be the same price as a FULL-auto, a Real assault weapon. Why bother with a semi-, then? Except, who could afford either?
Backdoor gun-banning. The Progressive-Socialists will try anything. They are the enemy within.
Democrats are a threat to this country and our freedom.
No such thing as a “Democrat” anymore. They are all Progressive-Socialists. They appropriate the name to fool their low-intelligence base.
Typical Democrat lies. Their standard mode of operation is to lie, lie, lie and lie some more. And the Democrats who are more ambitions create legislation which they can make sound ‘good’ and that they know will make the problem worse. The idea is that in the future, as the problem worsens, they will claim that they can solve it with the same solution, we just have to do more of it. So, they create a problem, claim to be the savior who will fix it, then claim that what caused the problem in the first place is the solution. And every future election they rant and rave that we didn’t do enough to fix the problem, that we have to do more of it.
If they are weapons designed to be used on the battle field, then why aren’t they used on the battle field? Oh because they are not designed to be used on the battle field. Stupid commiecrats.
I would expect nothing less from the party of poll taxes.
A 1000% excise tax on “assault weapons” is going to sell thousands, if not millions, more firearms before it becomes law. Brilliant advertising.
I worked at a gun shop back in the day before the original ‘assault weapons’ ban went into effect – I wish I got commission back then since we sold out of every AR, AK etc as well as every 10+ rd mag we could get in the store. I remember we were selling 17rd Glock 9mm mags for something like $89 back then and couldn’t keep them in stock for more than a few minutes. These idiot lefties apparently don’t realize they’re the #1 gun marketing team in the country!
I’d support a 1000% income tax on all politician’s salaries.
why not increase criminal penalties 1000% instead
Sadly, 1000 x 0 = still zero.
oops my bad heh-heh
It’s definitely sad but unfortunately true…the lefties don’t care about crime anyway, they just want to outlaw all those scary guns and punish all the icky Trump (or anyone who isn’t Biden) voters.