The House of Representatives is expected to take on House Bill 367, better known as the Hearing Protection Act of 2017. If HR 367 passes, the $200 transfer tax on firearm suppressors would be eliminated. Anyone owning a suppressor would also be in compliance with the National Firearms Act.
“The Hearing Protection Act has been one of the most important bills for sportsmen and women this Congress, which is why it’s common sense for it to be included in this year’s sportsman’s legislative package,” Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.)Duncan, the bill’s sponsor, told POLITICO. “By changing the outdated regulation of suppressors to an instant background check, just like the requirements to purchase a typical firearm, I hope the sportsmen and women in the United States will have greater access to noise reduction technology as they carry the hunting and recreational shooting tradition to future generations.”
“As Americans mark one year since the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando – the worst mass shooting in our nation’s history – the gun lobby is trying to sneak a dangerous provision through Congress to make it easier for dangerous people to buy silencers,” Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demands Demand Action, said in a statement. “This provision would profit gun manufacturers while making law enforcement’s job more difficult and potentially making mass shootings even more deadly.”
The legislation was recently added to Sportsmen Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act (SHARE Act). It will, more than likely, need to be signed off by three committees: Natural Resources Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Ways and Means Committee.
Currently, there are 146 co-sponsors, some of which are Democrats.
UPDATE:
Because of the Scalise shooting, the hearing has been canceled.
Hearing canceled "until further notice" https://t.co/ucOpzx1qni
— Matt Laslo (@MattLaslo) June 14, 2017
Join the conversation as a VIP Member