Graves Moves to Protect Americans' Second Amendment Rights
Introduces legislation to prevent new taxes and fees on law-abiding gun owners
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) has introduced legislation designed to prevent states and municipalities from approving new taxes or fees on the purchase of firearms or ammunition. The legislation comes as Cook County, Illinois – home to the city of Chicago – recently instituted a $25 tax on the purchase of each new gun. The County Board President had also proposed a 5-cent "bullet tax," an idea that was later dropped. Lawmakers in at least seven states – California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, and Washington – have introduced similar proposals, as has Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 793).
"Taxing the purchase of firearms or ammunition is the equivalent to charging a poll tax for exercising the right to vote," said Congressman Graves, who is a member of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus. "Putting these basic self-defense tools out of financial reach for many average Americans is a new tactic developed by anti-gun politicians to prevent law-abiding citizens from exercising their basic constitutional rights. This is just another slippery way to enact a gun ban, and it's wrong."
Graves' bill, the Protecting Honest, Everyday Americans from Senseless and Needless TaxesAct, or PHEASANT Act (H.R. 2361), would prevent states and localities from levying new taxes or fees on the sale of firearms and ammunition, which would endanger the 2nd Amendment rights of lawful citizens. It has been endorsed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
"We support the PHEASANT Act, introduced by Rep. Sam Graves to eliminate what amounts to a poll tax on the Second Amendment," said NSSF Senior Vice President Larry Keane.
A copy of Congressman Graves' legislation can be found below.
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