As a new federal edict could come down that vastly changes the definition of a gun dealer, House Democrats are pushing to slap a massive tax on what they term “assault weapons.”
On Friday, 25 House Democrats proposed a 1,000 percent excise tax on so-called assault weapons and large capacity magazines, according to Fox News.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia and 24 other Democrats. Republicans control the House with a narrow majority.
Beyer proposed a similar bill last year that put the 1,000 percent excise tax on anything that was or was part of a semiautomatic weapon that could hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
His bill came one day after more than 100 Democrats of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force wrote House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to say they were miffed not a single gun control bill had been voted upon during this session.
Amid the congressional wrangling came a report that the Biden administration could be issuing a new rule to follow up on a piece of the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” that was signed into law last year, according to The New York Times.
The provision would force anyone who makes money selling guns to get a federal license and conduct background checks. The current regulatory landscape requires only federally licensed dealers to conduct background checks and defines a dealer as someone who makes his livelihood selling firearms.
President Joe Biden in March issued an executive order to put the new provision in the fast lane.
The Times reported that the Justice Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are working on the new rule, with an expected completion date in the latter part of 2024.
The Times said the new provision “could set a threshold number of transactions that would define a dealer; gun-control groups hope to see it at five sales a year or lower. The rules will be backed up by a renewed push to prosecute businesses that refuse to register, by accessing bank records, storage unit leases and other expenses associated with running an off-the-books gun business.”
All of this was gleefully supported by the gun control group Giffords, set up by former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona, as well as Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
Every gun sale should require a background check. Thanks to @POTUS, we’re almost there.
For years, we’ve pushed for the government to require more gun sellers to become licensed dealers and conduct background checks. ATF is expected to act any day now. https://t.co/0CbOu2tsyx
— GIFFORDS (@GIFFORDS_org) August 2, 2023
I’m hoping all new regulations will be issued & made effective soon by the Biden Administration under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) August 1, 2023
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut wants a low threshold to target private dealers.
“Everybody agrees those people should have to perform background checks,” he said, according to the Times.
Not quite. Gun Owners of America is ready to fight back when the rule drops.
“While Gun Owners of America fights for the Second Amendment in the courts, Congress must repeal the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act—which was a compromise with the Biden Administration that Republicans NEVER should have struck,” the group said in a statement Tuesday.
“It has been completely weaponized, gun owners have gained nothing, and America is no safer. Cornyn-Murphy has got to go, and Republicans must expiate for this sin,” GOA said.
“Congress must also participate in the rulemaking process and voice its opposition to backdoor universal background registration checks during the public notice and comment period alongside GOA members,” the group said.
“After commenting during the proposed rule phase, Congress must also take up a joint resolution of disapproval pursuant to the Congressional Review Act and strike down this unconstitutional infringement,” it said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
