H.R. 5717 Licensing and Taxes on Fireamrs & Ammunition and Sporting Arms Ban

[Moped]

 

Fact check: Democrat's bill would increase taxes on firearms and ammunition

Molly Stellino, USA TODAY

USA TODAYMay 24, 2020, 4:39 PM EDT

The claim: H.R. 5717 would implement a 30% tax on all gun sales and 50% tax on all ammunition sales

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., introduced in January H.R. 5717, a bill that would strengthen measures to prevent gun violence. It has evoked mixed reactions from the public and moved to the forefront of conversation surrounding legislation not related to the coronavirus pandemic.

A Facebook user made a post in late April calling the bill, known as the Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act of 2020, “tyranny.” The user said the bill “will add 30% tax on all guns and 50% tax on all ammo.”

What H.R. 5717 would change if passed

The bill’s intent is “to end the epidemic of gun violence and build safer communities by strengthening federal firearms laws and supporting gun violence research, intervention, and prevention initiatives,” as stated in its introduction.

If passed it would, among other measures, require individuals to obtain a license to possess firearms, raise the minimum age for purchasing firearms and require law enforcement be notified when an individual does not pass a background check.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., introduced in February a companion bill, S. 3254. Both proposals aim to ban assault weapons, a class of firearms that was banned between 1994 and 2004 under a federal law that was allowed to expire. Companion bills are meant to “promote simultaneous consideration of a measure,” according to the Senate.

Section 803 of Johnson’s H.R. 5717 details the changes that would be made to taxes on firearms and other related items.

It would make pistols, revolvers and other firearms taxable at 30%. Shells and cartridges would be taxable at 50%.

In the United States Code, a firearm is defined as “any weapon (including a starter gun) which will ... expel a projectile by the action of an explosive,” “the frame or receiver of any such weapon,” “any firearm muffler or firearm silencer,” or “any destructive device.” Destructive devices are bombs, grenades, rockets, missiles, mines or similar instruments.

Ammunition consists of multiple subcomponents: bullets, cartridge cases, powders and primers designed to be used in a firearm, according to federal law. 

Andy Phelan, communications director for Johnson, said it would increase taxes on all ammunition, which is commonly referred to as "shells and cartridges" in policy.

39% of the money collected from these taxes would be put toward research on and programs for gun violence prevention. The legislation does not specify how the funds would be allocated or where the other 61% of the money would go.

Firearms and ammunition are currently taxed at about 10% and are collected through various avenues. The taxes are used for different purposes like wildlife preservation and hunter safety and education.

The bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security in late March. It has not yet been voted on by the House.

Our ruling: True

Under H.R. 5717 firearms would be taxable at 30% and ammunition would be taxable at 50%. A portion of these taxes would be used toward gun violence prevention research. We rate this claim as TRUE because it is supported by our research.

Our fact-check sources:

• H.R. 5717

• Facebook post, April 28, 2020

• S. 3254 

• ABC News, Understanding the 1994 assault weapons ban and why it ended, Sept. 13, 2019

• United States Senate, Companion Bill or Measure

• 18 U.S.C. Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Chapter 44 - Firearms

• EveryCRSReport.com, Guns, Excise Taxes, Wildlife Restoration, and the National Firearms Act, March 18, 2020

• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Gun Control Acts Definitions - Ammunition

• Interview, Andy Phelan, Communications Director for Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson, May 20, 2020

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Bill would increase taxes on firearms and ammunition

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/fact-check-democrats-bill-increase-203926782.html

[krunchnik]

This bill has been DOA for a couple of months already-I really begin to wonder what the reasoning behind the recycling of old news is-Geez can we get some fresher news in this cycle already.

I think they like to repeat this crap every time there is a break in the weather or another calamity of some sort.

According to Washington this has a 19% chance of passing out of committee-let's kill this one already.

[DaveTN]

The people that wrote those bills didn’t expect them to pass; they just want votes and they think Americans are stupid. All they want to do is be able to pander to the liberals and whine about how those far right conservative pesky 2nd Amendment supporters won’t let anything get through.

[krunchnik]

6 hours ago, DaveTN said:

The people that wrote those bills didn’t expect them to pass; they just want votes and they think Americans are stupid. All they want to do is be able to pander to the liberals and whine about how those far right conservative pesky 2nd Amendment supporters won’t let anything get through.

Boy you have their number correct-pander and whine-what they do best.

[PoofNoEyeBrows]

Don't forget project and accuse to that list!

[Moped]

8 hours ago, DaveTN said:

The people that wrote those bills didn’t expect them to pass; they just want votes and they think Americans are stupid. All they want to do is be able to pander to the liberals and whine about how those far right conservative pesky 2nd Amendment supporters won’t let anything get through.

I’m sure a lot of people in VA thought that too, until the Party of the Anti Gunners, took over both houses and the Governor’s office. Now look where they are. Protests seemed to have turned away the worst of the proposed anti gun bills. But I doubt such tactics will work in DC, Should that same situation happen. 
 

Be ever vigilant. It probably won’t pass this time, but this time next year, we could all be facing this again, with votes enough in both the House and Senate to send to President Biden for his signature. 

[Blitzen]

Yes and Biden will quickly sign it. Will happen fast like in Virginia. 

[DaveTN]

I have no doubt that if the Democrats get control of the House, Senate, and the Presidency; they will try bans and registration. But unlike Virginia, if the Feds try it, I suspect it will be fast tracked to the SCOTUS. And they won’t be considering a states “reasonable restrictions”.

[Raoul]

3 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

I have no doubt that if the Democrats get control of the House, Senate, and the Presidency; they will try bans and registration. But unlike Virginia, if the Feds try it, I suspect it will be fast tracked to the SCOTUS. And they won’t be considering a states “reasonable restrictions”.

We can only hope...

[krunchnik]

3 hours ago, Blitzen said:

Yes and Biden will quickly sign it. Will happen fast like in Virginia. 

Yup-but only if he remembers where he left his pen.