WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, March 13th, Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT), joined by seven colleagues in the Senate, introduced the ASA-supported Protecting Americans’ Right to Silence (PARTS) Act as S. 1039. This bipartisan proposal will reform the outdated definition of “firearm silencer” in the Gun Control Act.

“We applaud Senator Sheehy for standing up for the rights of millions of law-abiding gun owners,” said Knox Williams, president and executive director of the American Suppressor Association. “No one should have to have a law degree to understand the technical serialization requirements for a simple hearing protection device. Senator Sheehy has done gun owners a great service by introducing this bill.” 

The PARTS Act is co-sponsored by Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Pete Ricketts (NE), Ted Budd (R-NC), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jim Justice (R-WV), and John Cornyn (R-TX). Representative August Pfluger (R-TX) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives. 

Background 

PARTS Act refines the definition of a suppressor, narrowing it to cover complete devices or a single essential component, such as a frame or receiver. This shift eliminates the ambiguity of broader terms that have been used in the past, such as “combination of parts,” which has led to regulatory confusion. 

The PARTS Act eliminates unnecessary paperwork that the ATF requires upon the purchase of consumable suppressor parts, such as wipes. This would be similar to the process during the purchase of other non-serialized firearm components. The PARTS Act will ensure greater access to these parts for legal suppressor owners. 

The bill also addresses and heads off regulatory concerns that were raised in an open letter to the ATF in November 2023, to prevent plans to classify certain suppressor parts as regulated suppressors. 

As suppressor wait times reach historic lows, the PARTS Act will better ensure that the growing popularity of suppressed shooting remains accessible and protected under clear, common-sense regulations. 

This legislation intends to protect access to the market for everyday people while avoiding the regulatory reversals which have historically hurt consumers across industries. 

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WASHINGTON, DC – February 4th, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and 28 colleagues reintroduced the Hearing Protection Act (HPA) in the Senate.

“We are grateful to Senator Crapo for standing behind the millions of law-abiding gun owners with his reintroduction of the Hearing Protection Act,” said Knox Williams, president and executive director of the American Suppressor Association. “It’s absurd that our unrestrained federal bureaucracy requires Americans to jump through hoops to buy simple hearing protection devices. Momentum continues to grow for common sense reforms that would end the stranglehold of government on the rights of her people. We look forward to working with Senator Crapo and his colleagues to ensure our Second Amendment rights remain a priority.”

The Hearing Protection Act is cosponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn, John Boozman, Ted Budd, Bill Cassidy, Kevin Cramer, Steve Daines, Deb Fischer, Lindsey Graham, John Hoeven, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Jim Justice, John Kennedy, James Lankford, Mike Lee, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, Jerry Moran, Markwayne Mullin, Pete Ricketts, Jim Risch, Mike Rounds, Rick Scott, Tim Sheehy, Thom Tillis, Roger Wicker, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, and Ron Johnson. Representative Ben Cline (R-Va.) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives.

The HPA would remove suppressors from the burdensome requirements of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and require purchasers to pass an instant NICS check, the same background check used during the sale of long guns. This change, by cutting through red tape, will make it much easier for law-abiding hunters and sportsmen to access these critical hearing safety devices. With the introduction of the HPA in both chambers, and the recent introduction of the bipartisan PARTS Act, momentum continues to build for common sense reform to firearm regulation.  

Background

Suppressors have been federally regulated since the passage of the National Firearms Act of 1934.

In order to purchase a suppressor, prospective buyers must live in a state where suppressors are legal, send in an application including fingerprints and passport photos to the ATF, pay a $200 transfer tax, notify their local Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO), and wait an indeterminate amount of time for ATF to process the application.

Using the same science as car mufflers, suppressors help reduce noise pollution, allowing hunters and recreational shooters to be good neighbors and good stewards of the environment.

Often referred to as “silencers,” suppressors are widely misunderstood by the public due to this misnomer. A suppressor only reduces the sound level of a gunshot to 110-120 decibels, about as loud as a jackhammer or ambulance siren.

Private suppressor ownership is currently legal in 42 states, and hunting with a suppressor is legal in 41 states.