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New legislation is being introduced by Rep. Mike Cloud (R-TX) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) aimed at simplifying the process of obtaining firearm suppressors by removing burdensome regulations.
The initiative, known as the Silencers Help Us Save Hearing (SHUSH) Act, addresses the current complex regulatory framework surrounding suppressor acquisition. Under existing National Firearms Act (NFA) regulations, individuals seeking to purchase suppressors face numerous hurdles despite the device being a simple accessory without any firing mechanism or magazine capacity.
Currently, the acquisition process involves extensive paperwork, including ATF form submission, fingerprinting, photography requirements, a $200 federal tax payment, and a lengthy background check that typically spans 9-12 months.
Suppressors protect hearing, enhance safety, and reduce firearm noise—yet Hollywood and D.C. have vilified them. Law-abiding Americans shouldn’t face extra red tape and taxes for a safety accessory. @SenMikeLee & I are pushing back with the SHUSH Act!https://t.co/95qzRtujBQ
— Congressman Michael Cloud (@RepCloudTX) January 31, 2025
The SHUSH Act aims to streamline this process by removing suppressors from both the National Firearms Act and Gun Control Act jurisdiction, reclassifying them as standard firearm accessories. The legislation would prevent states from imposing additional taxes or registration requirements while eliminating the existing federal transfer tax. Additionally, the act would grant active and retired law enforcement officers the ability to carry concealed suppressors.
In their upcoming joint press release, Cloud and Lee state: “Suppressors…are firearm accessories designed to improve safety and comfort for hunters, sports shooters, and marksmen. These tools reduce gunfire noise, lessen recoil, and minimize muzzle blast. Despite common misconceptions, suppressors do not render firearms silent.”
Suppressors should be able to be purchased off the shelf at your local hardware store without a background check.
They are PPE, they make shooting more pleasant for all involved, it just makes sense.
Thank you @RepCloudTX.
Tell YOUR Rep to sponsor the SHUSH Act! https://t.co/bS3TEyhPXo pic.twitter.com/rZuApwPMuf
— National Association for Gun Rights (@NatlGunRights) January 31, 2025
Beyond personal safety benefits, suppressors contribute to environmental preservation by reducing noise pollution, as noted in a Breitbart News report from November 2024.
Cloud emphasized the practical benefits of suppressors, noting, “Suppressors are a vital tool for responsible gun owners that protect hearing, enhance safety, and reduce firearm noise—but thanks to Hollywood and federal overreach, they’ve been unfairly vilified. Law-abiding Americans shouldn’t have to endure months of red tape and pay an additional tax just to access a safety accessory. The SHUSH Act puts an end to this unnecessary bureaucratic red tape, eliminates the federal tax, and prevents state overreach by treating suppressors like any other firearm accessory.”
Lee added, “Despite what Hollywood may lead you to believe, silencers aren’t silent, and they aren’t just for secret agents. They are a vital tool for hearing protection for countless marksmen and gun enthusiasts across America, and making them prohibitively difficult to obtain is an assault on the 2nd Amendment. The SHUSH Act eliminates federal regulation of silencers and treats them as the non-lethal accessory that they are.”