NO
Earlier today the GOP published their revised draft on The Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 404) & SHORT Act (H.R. 2395)
The United States House Committee on Ways & Means released the text for the House Reconciliation Bill. Included in this legislation, is a provision which would reduce the National Firearms Act (NFA) tax imposed on suppressors from $200 to $0. However, this legislation would continue to subject suppressors to the other unconstitutional provisions of the NFA.
The House Ways and Means Committee has released its draft bill language ahead of the markup scheduled for early afternoon today. And what they have produced is totally and completely UNACCEPTABLE.
The proposal does not include the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 404) or the SHORT Act (H.R. 2395). These are two key measures that GOA and you have been demanding; two key measures that are aimed at gutting the National Firearms Act (NFA).
While the Hearing Protection Act is aimed at removing suppressors from the NFA, the SHORT Act is geared toward removing short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs) and Any Other Weapons (AOWs) from that same law.
Note that the SHORT Act would prevent a future anti-gun administration from weaponizing the NFA to go after pistol-braced owners the way that Biden did.
For the past year, GOA has been working diligently behind the scenes to get both of these provisions included in the budget reconciliation package.
GOA has been pursuing this strategy because, under the rules of the House and Senate, the reconciliation bill that we are trying to amend can NOT be filibustered in the Senate.
Sadly, the current draft does not go far enough. While the bill does propose a reduction in the tax on suppressors, it does FAR TOO LITTLE, as it fails to address the burdensome registration process and LEAVES THE REGISTRATION OF SUPPRESSORS in place.
Additionally, there is no language protecting pistol brace owners—leaving the door open for a future anti-gun administration to further weaponize the NFA against law-abiding gun owners.
WHO’S TO BLAME? While there are probably many people who are at fault, there are two critical ones who rise to the top. First, Ammoland reported just recently that Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN)—who sits on the Ways and Means Committee—has been working behind the scenes to keep suppressors in the NFA and merely reduce the tax to $5. And of course, Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), as the “captain of the ship,” has to ultimately approve the final product.
You can contact:
· Rep. Kustoff at 202-225-4714
· Rep. Smith at 202-225-4404
We know that we’ve asked you to make a lot of calls over the past few days. And I wouldn’t be asking this if it weren’t for the fact that this may be our one-and-only shot this year to get significant gun reforms passed.
This is OUR BEST CHANCE to get these pro-gun reforms passed … since the Senate cannot filibuster any pro-gun reforms … and we know that President Trump will sign this “big beautiful” bill.
So please call the Ways & Means Committee at 202-225-3625 and say something like this:
- Hello, my name is [NAME] and I’m a member of Gun Owners of America and a voter. I am disgusted with the unacceptable compromise that is in the draft text of the reconciliation bill. Currently, the bill does not even contain the SHORT Act, and it makes a pathetic attempt at improving the situation on suppressors.
- I would request that the Ways and Means Committee amend the bill by FULLY protecting suppressors and pistol-braced firearms. (The committee can do this by adding Sec. 2 of the Hearing Protection Act and Sec. 2 of the SHORT Act to the bill—which are the sections that delete the suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs from the NFA registry.)
- Removing suppressors and pistol braces from the NFA entirely is VERY IMPORTANT so a future Democrat administration doesn’t weaponize the NFA against gun owners like Biden did.
- Gun Owners of America will be watching your actions closely and let me know what happens.
We can’t let up now. Thank you for all your work!
The Hearing Protection Act (HPA) might be in trouble in the House Ways and Means Committee, and anti-gun lobbyists are NOT the ones holding it up.
David Kustoff (R-TN) has been actively pushing to lower the tax stamp to $5 from $200, which would be a welcome change, but the better alternative is to remove suppressors completely from the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA). That would eliminate the tax stamp fee and remove all other NFA requirements.
This option is the best option for gun owners, yet he is pushing the latter and is against the elimination of suppressors from the NFA.
Rep Kustoff’s constituents include a substantial percentage of gun owners. His push to keep suppressors on the NFA does not make sense unless outside forces are putting pressure on his office to lower the fee to $5 instead of completely removing them from the NFA. Anti-gun groups would be lobbying to keep the status quo, meaning the pressure is most likely coming from the pro-gun side. AmmoLand News has been provided with the name of the lobbyist pushing for a fee reduction instead of elimination from the NFA by our sources inside the House Ways and Means Committee.
It is a name that should be familiar to most in the gun rights community….
