Democrats propose 1000% tax on ‘assault weapons,’ high-capacity magazines

House Democrats have reintroduced a bill that would impose an excise duty of 1000% on “semiautomatic assassin weapons” and magazines with high capacity.

Don Beyer (D-Va.) and 24 other House Democrats introduced the bill on Friday. Beyer had introduced legislation on the same idea last year with 41 cosponsors, and even with a Democratic-controlled House, the bill remained stuck in committee.

The text of the new legislation has not been published yet, so it is unclear if the new bill is identical to the one that was passed in 2022.

The new bill HR 5135 is entitled “To amend Internal Revenue Code 1986 in order to impose a 1,000 percent additional excise on the sale large capacity ammunition feeding device and semiautomatic assassin weapons and for other purposes”.

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NPR reports that an AR-15 rifle, according to NPR’s statistics, can range from $400 for the basic model up to $2000 or more for a high-end model. The new tax proposal will increase these prices from $400 to $2000.

Beyer’s bill from before proposed taxing magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. This would have affected many semiautomatic pistols such as Glock 19s.

Beyer, who introduced the bill in 2013, said: “It’s essential that Congress takes meaningful action to reduce gun violence. The bill I’m putting forward will cut through the gridlock.”