Cedar Rapids Today

Washington, D.C. - Representative Ashley Hinson from Iowa, alongside Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas, has introduced the Repealing Illegal Freedom and Liberty Excises (RIFLE) Act. The act aims to eliminate the current $200 tax imposed on the transfer and purchase of certain firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act.

Congresswoman Hinson stated, "The Second Amendment is a Constitutional right that is not to be infringed. Law-abiding gun owners should not be forced to pay an unconstitutional firearm tax. This bill will remove unnecessary financial barriers on lawful gun owners from the antiquated 1934 National Firearms Act and protect the Second Amendment rights of Iowans and Americans."

Senator Cotton expressed a similar view: "Law-abiding Americans who exercise their Second Amendment rights should not be subject to unnecessary taxes and restrictions preventing them from doing so. Passed into law in 1934, the National Firearms Act needs to be amended. Our legislation will remove the red tape that places an undue financial burden on would-be gun owners."

John Commerford, Executive Director of NRA-ILA, supported the initiative with the following comment: "The National Rifle Association applauds Representative Hinson’s leadership on the Second Amendment and her reintroduction of the RIFLE Act. This $200 punitive tax has only ever served as a financial barrier for law-abiding Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights."

Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, noted, "The tax stamp requirement for firearms and suppressors listed as controlled items under the National Firearms Act was intended to suppress Americans’ desire to fully-exercise their Second Amendment rights. It was – and is – a ‘sin tax. However, there is no sin in exercising a Constitutionally-protected right. We appreciate the leadership of Representative Hinson and Senator Cotton to eliminate this tax that only serves as a barrier to law-abiding citizens keeping and bearing arms."

The legislation was introduced with 27 co-sponsors, including Representatives Richard Hudson, Jack Bergman, Byron Donalds, Claudia Tenney, Randy Feenstra, John Moolenaar, Mark Amodei, Scott Franklin, Dan Newhouse, Michael Rulli, Clay Higgins, Mike Collins, Beth Van Duyne, Glenn Grothman, John McGuire, Andy Harris, Andy Barr, Bob Onder, Chuck Fleischmann, Troy Downing, Brad Finstad, Julia Letlow, Michael Cloud, Tim Walberg, Jodey Arrington, Adrian Smith, and Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

Currently, a $200 tax applies to certain firearms under the National Firearms Act. This tax was initially designed to limit firearms transactions, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The RIFLE Act aims to remove this tax, which includes short-barreled rifles and silencers, as well as ensuring that pistols with stabilizing braces are exempt. The act does not change any existing background check regulations.

Breitbart News has already covered the introduction of this bill, and those interested can find the full text available online.