RELEASE: Cloud and Lee Introduce Bill to Simplify Suppressor Rules

WASHINGTON — Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Silencers Help Us Save Hearing (SHUSH) Act today to eliminate excessive regulations around firearm suppressors, reducing bureaucratic hurdles, and ensuring consistent laws nationwide.

Suppressors, often referred to as silencers, 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.

Acquiring a suppressor under current law requires navigating a lengthy and complicated process through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Applicants must:

• Submit two copies of ATF Form 4.
• Fill out ATF Form 5330.20 Certification of Compliance
• Provide certification from a local law enforcement officer, along with two copies of fingerprints.
• Submit two passport photos and pay a $200 federal tax.
• This process often takes 9 to 12 months for approval, making suppressor ownership a burden for many law-abiding citizens.

The SHUSH Act:

• Removes suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA) and Gun Control Act (GCA), treating them as standard firearm accessories.
• Prohibits states from imposing taxes or registration requirements on suppressors.
• Ends the $200 transfer tax and streamlines the acquisition process for law-abiding Americans.
• Permits active and retired law enforcement to carry concealed suppressors.

“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,” said Congressman Cloud. “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.”

“Despite what Hollywood may lead you to believe, silencers aren’t silent, and they aren’t just for secret agents,” said Senator Lee. “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.”

“Suppressors are accessories and should be treated just like magazines, scopes, or gun stocks,” said Hunter King, National Association for Gun Rights. “Treating an accessory the same as a gun sets a bad precedence for anti-gun legislators to further regulate other accessories in the future. There’s no reason they should be subjected to the Brady registration scheme. We’re happy and privileged to be able to work with Sen. Lee and Rep. Cloud on this legislation,”

Read more here.

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