The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee plans to mark up a sweeping reconciliation bill that would drop the tax on the transfer of suppressors but keep all the NFA red tape intact.
The pending legislation, described by President Trump as his requested "one big, beautiful bill," spans nearly 400 pages in its current form and covers more than 150 sections, with many addressing reforms to the U.S. tax code.
One of these sections, No. 112030, would effectively eliminate the circa-1934 $200 tax on the transfer of suppressors or "silencers." It would keep the rest of the National Firearms Act intact, which means that would-be suppressor buyers would still have to jump through the enhanced background checks and registration requirements and submit a Form 4 for processing. Also, those making suppressors would still have to pay the $200 tax via Form 1s.
The section:
"This bill delivers on what Americans voted for with President Trump’s promise to put America First – with tax policies that reward hard work, bring jobs back home, increase opportunity, and rebuild the economy for the working class," said Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) when speaking of the measure overall. "It puts the interests of low-income, working families ahead of the wealthy by expanding tax relief to those who need it the most, including the President’s priorities of no tax on tips and overtime pay and additional relief for America’s seniors. Small businesses and family farmers will benefit from the certainty provided so they can invest in their futures and grow jobs."
Suppressor reform advocates are urging Americans to contact the committee to amend the text to include Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act – full removal of suppressors from the NFA.
"This isn’t a compromise, it’s a betrayal," said Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of Gun Owners of America. "The House Ways and Means Committee chose to leave unconstitutional registration and taxes in place even though they had a clear path to repeal them. GOA made it crystal clear that full deregulation of suppressors and protection for brace owners was achievable under reconciliation. Lawmakers knew it, and they chose political convenience over principle. Gun owners won’t forget this."
Banner image: Springfield Armory Kuna 9mm with a SilencerCo 36M suppressor mounted. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
