Fact check: The North Carolina NRA chapter claimed Congress tried to raise taxes on guns
In the wake of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were killed, the National Rifle Association is once again in the spotlight.
In a statement released two days after the shooting, the NRA said “our deepest sympathies are with the families and victims involved in this horrific and evil crime.”
The North Carolina Rifle & Pistol Association, an NRA state association, is also an active group with a mission to protect gun rights, according to its website.
The Charlotte Observer fact-checked claims made by NCRPA President David McFarling about gun ownership, crime rates and proposed firearm legislation.
Do Democrats own just as many guns as Republicans?
In a September newsletter, McFarling wrote that “many Democrats are gun owners, and they know that funding the police and enforcing the laws we have will make them much safer than gun bans or confiscation.”
Though 30% of adults in the U.S. own a gun, just 20% of people who identified as Democrats said they owned a firearm, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey. The survey also found that 44% of adults who identified as Republican owned a firearm.
Did Congress introduce a bill to increase taxes on guns?
One week into President Biden’s term, McFarling claimed that Congress introduced a bill to raise federal excise taxes on guns and ammunition.
The bill he was referring to is H.R. 5717, a measure introduced in January 2020 that would increase the tax on firearms to 30% and the tax on shells and cartridges to 50%. No action has been taken on the bill since March of 2020.
Pistols and rifles are already taxed at 10% and 11% respectively, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Are crime rates in America ‘through the roof’?
In a February newsletter, McFarling said “in most of the country, crime rates are up through the roof.”
“Criminals are running wild committing murder, armed robbery, smash and grab robbery and a host of other offenses with little or no expectation of consequence,” he continued.
According to FBI data, the number of violent crime offenses from 2019-2020 rose from 380.8 to 398.5 per 100,000 people. Data for 2021 has not been released by the FBI.
