House Dems Push For 1,000% Tax On 'Assault Weapons' And High-Capacity Magazines

The proposed change would raise the price of a $500 weapon to $5,000, with the goal of reducing access to guns across the country.

Led by Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, the bill was introduced on Friday and marks the second time Democrats have put forward this idea. A similar proposal was made last year when Democrats controlled the House, but it failed to gain traction.

While the text of Beyer's new bill has not been released yet, it remains unclear if any changes have been made from the 2022 version. Last year's bill imposed the tax on magazines or related devices capable of accepting more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

 WATCH: BRITISH COLONEL RICHARD KEMP REPORTING FROM GAZA

The same 1,000% tax would also be applied to any "semiautomatic assault weapon," which was defined in last year's bill as a semiautomatic rifle or pistol with a fixed magazine of 10 rounds or more, or possessing other specific features. Under this definition, a weapon that typically costs $2,000 would now require customers to pay over $20,000. Beyer argued last year that this change could help "curb the epidemic of gun violence."

 WATCH: NO CLUE WHY THEY ARE PROTESTING: "I WISH I WAS MORE EDUCATED"

August 06, 2023

Beyer emphasized the urgency of taking action to address the proliferation of "weapons of war" in American communities, which have resulted in tragic incidents in various locations such as Uvalde, Buffalo, Tulsa, and many others. He pointed out that assault weapons designed for battlefield use have been repeatedly employed in mass shootings at schools, grocery stores, hospitals, churches, synagogues, malls, theaters, and bars.

 TRUMP READY TO DEBATE BIDEN 'ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE,' BUT WILL IT HAPPEN?

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has countered these arguments by claiming that gun control advocates intentionally use the term "assault weapon" to confuse the public and advance their political agenda. According to the NRA, the term "assault rifle" should only apply to automatic weapons, while gun control advocates seek to impose restrictions on semi-automatic weapons.

 CRITICS SLAM BIDEN'S ATTEMPT TO RELATE PERSONAL TRAGEDY TO POLICE OFFICER DEATHS

Automatic weapons discharge rounds continuously as long as the trigger is pulled, and the NRA has clarified that these weapons are primarily used by the U.S. armed services and are not easily accessible to the general public. In contrast, semi-automatic weapons only fire a single round with each pull of the trigger.

 FROM DISGRACE TO REDEMPTION: DAN RATHER TO MAKE UNEXPECTED RETURN TO CBS

Beyer's new bill comes on the heels of a public letter signed by over 100 Democrats, expressing disappointment in House GOP leaders, particularly House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, for not advancing any gun control legislation this year.

The letter highlights the alarming statistics that gun violence has become the leading cause of death for children in America since 2020, with 1,686 children killed and 4,485 injured by gun violence last year alone. The signatories of the letter call for the scheduling of votes on gun violence prevention legislation as soon as possible.

 KARMA IS A B*TCH: COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO CRITICIZED NYPD NOW BEGGING FOR THEIR PROTECTION

As the debate over gun control continues, Democrats are pushing for measures to curb gun ownership, while Republicans and gun rights advocates argue for the protection of Second Amendment rights. The introduction of Beyer's bill and the letter to Speaker McCarthy reflect the ongoing divide on this issue within Congress.