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The Pittman-Robertson Act: The Forgotten History of the Celebrated Tax on Firearms and Ammo
Ammo.com ^ | 9/2/2021 | Sam Jacobs

Posted on 09/02/2021 9:45:55 AM PDT by ammodotcom

It’s unusual to think that Second Amendment proponents and members of the freedom movement would celebrate the day that a tax took effect. But that’s precisely what the Pittman-Robertson Act is – a tax often celebrated by gun enthusiasts, patriots and pro-freedom elements in the United States. Its story is one of the more fascinating in the history of American legislation.

Signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on September 2, 1937, the Pittman-Robertson Act, known officially as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, does not establish a new tax. Instead, it commandeered an existing 11-percent excise tax on rifles, shotguns and ammunition, and a 10-percent tax on pistols. Rather than going into the general fund of the United States Treasury, the Pittman-Robertson Act earmarked this money for the Department of the Interior and its wildlife preservations efforts. The money is then distributed to the states and can be spent how they see fit.

This was a coup for the Second Amendment and liberty movements. Rather than the money going toward a federal government interested in stripping them of their rights, it went to the Department of the Interior, with interests in keeping the American wilderness wild at heart. With this bill, hunters and firearms enthusiasts continued their role as the unsung heroes of the American conservation movement. In fact, Federal Ammunition was instrumental in getting the bill made into law.

(Excerpt) Read more at ammo.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: banglist; blogpimp; guns; pittman; robertson; tax

1 posted on 09/02/2021 9:45:56 AM PDT by ammodotcom
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To: ammodotcom
"how they see fit"

I'd rather have the money so I can spend it how I see fit.

2 posted on 09/02/2021 9:56:06 AM PDT by fruser1
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To: fruser1

This targeted approach is useless. They just reduce other spending in this area they would have made anyway.


3 posted on 09/02/2021 10:48:05 AM PDT by alternatives? (The only reason to have an army is to defend your borders,)
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To: alternatives?

Long story short, make the States pay the Federal budget. Quite a lot of problems solved!


4 posted on 09/03/2021 7:50:54 AM PDT by Svartalfiar
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To: fruser1

No, you should pay taxes so we can have a functional society – and just in case that doesn’t convince you, we’ll also send armed men to put you in a cage.


5 posted on 09/03/2021 10:21:27 PM PDT by ammodotcom
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