WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA-04) joined Rep. Ashley Hinson (IA-01) in introducing the Repealing Illegal Freedom and Liberty Excises (RIFLE) Act as an original cosponsor. Under current law, there is a $200 tax on the transfer and purchase of firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act. This legislation would remove the existing $200 tax on firearms sold to law-abiding gun owners.

Feenstra said “The burdensome tax we are seeking to eliminate is nothing more than an obstacle that gets in the way of law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment right to purchase a firearm. This commonsense proposal will make firearm transfers more affordable and remove this blatant infringement on every Americans’ fundamental right to keep and bear arms. I will continue standing up against any attempts to infringe on the Second Amendment.”

Background

• Under current law, there is a $200 tax on the transfer and purchase of firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act.
  • According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the $200 transfer tax was intended to “to curtail, if not prohibit, transactions” of firearms.
  • The federal government intentionally placed a financial barrier on the Second Amendment, discriminating against individuals based on their income level.
• The RIFLE Act would remove the infringing tax on firearms governed under the National Firearms Act, including short-barreled rifles and silencers.
• This legislation would also ensure that pistols with stabilizing braces would not be subject to the $200 transfer tax.
• This legislation does not modify any current background check provisions; it solely removes the federally-mandated financial burden on law-abiding gun owners.

Rep. Randy Feenstra

(contributed press release)