Last Updated on June 18, 2022
House Democrats proposed legislation to implement a 1,000% tax on AR-15-style rifles and other semi-automatic weapons.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) introduced the “Assault Weapons Excise Act” on Tuesday, along with 36 Democrat colleagues, to severely restrict firearms that have magazines capable of holding 10 rounds or more.
The legislation would place exemptions on weapons used recreationally for hunting and ammunition but would not apply to the millions of semi-automatic weapons already in circulation across the country.
The tax would force an AR-15 style rifle worth $900 to cost $9,000 after the federal tax.
Beyer believes this is a loophole to successfully limit firearms without explicitly limiting the Second Amendment.
Referencing recent mass shootings, Beyer said, “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.”
Republicans slammed the legislation during a House hearing on gun violence Wednesday.
“I strongly believe that there is an important place for law-abiding gun owners to serve in protecting themselves, their families and their communities from violence,” Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said.
“Our Second Amendment is an important tool in securing our individual rights to self-defense. Knee-jerk reactions to impose gun control policies that seek to curtail our Constitutional right to bear arms is not the answer,” he added.
However, 10 Republicans have faced scrutiny from their base after they signed on to a proposal for gun safety legislation announced in the Senate on Sunday. The legislation would provide federal funding to establish red flag laws at the state level and expand mental health services in an attempt to prevent gun violence.
With the ten Republican senators standing with the Democrats, the bill will not be able to be filibustered.
Here are the 10 Republicans agreeing to the gun control bill:
Lindsey Graham (SC)
Mitt Romney (UT)
Pat Toomey (PA)
John Cornyn (TX)
Susan Collins (ME)
Thom Tillis (NC)
Richard Burr (NC)
Roy Blunt (MO)
Bill Cassidy (LA)
Rob Portman (OH)Name them and shame them.
— Gamer Jon (@MillerStream) June 12, 2022
Political strategist Greg Price ripped into the Republican senators for their support of red flag laws. “In the wake of an unprecedented assault on lawful gun owners by the left, 10 Senate Republicans decided now was the time to sign onto a proposal to help states pass Red Flag Laws and give the government the ability to come to your house and seize your weapons for any reason,” Price said.
“Any Republican that votes to even help states pass Red Flag laws is your enemy. They should never be able to show their faces in their states again without being reminded that they voted to give a regime that hates you the ability to take your guns away,” he added.
Any Republican that votes to even help states pass Red Flag laws is your enemy. They should never be able to show their faces in their states again without being reminded that they voted to give a regime that hates you the ability to take your guns away.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 12, 2022
Stay tuned to National File for any updates.
