by Now that the House of Representatives has approved the One Big Beautiful Act aka the budget reconciliation bill with the removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act, it is time to move on to the Senate. As someone noted elsewhere, closed mouths never get fed.
Some will argue that we should not request the inclusion of the SHORT Act as well as other parts of the Hearing Protection Act. That is, we should take removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act and leave it at that. I disagree. In any sort of bargaining – political or economic – it is customary to start from a position asking for everything you want and then some. If you end up getting more than you hoped for, that is a plus. If you end up getting what would satisfy you, then you’ve won. In this case, that would mean suppressors out of the National Firearms Act. Having SBRs and SBSs removed would be a plus.
I had a long conversation with Knox Williams who is the Executive Director of the American Suppressor Association. We discussed the issue raised by how laws are written in many states regarding suppressors and other NFA arms. For example, North Carolina classifies suppressors as “weapons of mass destruction.” If that is not a case of hyperbole I don’t know what is! However, we are allowed to have them if they are held in compliance with 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53, §§ 5801-5871. Section 3 of the Hearing Protection Act would provide that compliance. Knox said that given this section of the bill deals with the Internal Revenue Code that it should pass muster under the Byrd Rule. If the Senate Parliamentarian disagrees, then VP J.D. Vance as President of the Senate can overrule her. Knox also noted that the sponsor of the Hearing Protection Act in the Senate was Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) who chairs the Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) who chairs the Senate Budget Committee has signed on to the bill as a co-sponsor.
The National Coalition of Gun Rights Groups has created both an open letter to Senators and a petition urging inclusion of the HPA and the SHORT Act in the final version of the budget reconciliation bill. We are asking that state level gun rights groups, gun clubs, hunting groups, and legislators sign on to the open letter. For groups signing on to the letter, we have automated the process unlike the House version where you had to email J. R. Hoell of the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition. We had over 100 groups and representatives sign on the House letter and we really should surpass that number.
In addition, individuals can sign on to the petition using the same link.
Use the link below to sign:
—-> Reform NFA Now! <——
I would like to note two things before concluding. First, the anti-rights gun control industry and their minions in Congress are against this proposal. As I pointed out in their responses, they have resorted to lies, hyperbole, and fabrications. Second, this is an independent and organic effort that has arisen from the grass roots. It was neither conceived nor organized by any of the major gun rights groups. This is not meant as a criticism of those groups who, like us, have been in the fight to remove suppressors from the NFA. Instead, it is an affirmation that the pro-rights grass roots can come together as “We, the People” and demand change without being led from above unlike the other side.
MIght as well push for all we can, while we can!
Precisely. In my Business major days we were taught that you go for ALL the marbles in your opening offer, because you can bet your bottom dollar the other guy WILL in his too. If you come at it like a limp-wristed sissy, you’ll just get rolled, and rolled, and rolled some more until your negotiating partners give you a nickname like “The Good Time Had By All.”
“History does not long entrust the defense of freedom to the weak or the timid.”–Eisenhower
Absolutely push for the SHORT act to not be left out of the Big Beautiful Bill. If it doesn’t make it into this year’s “must pass” reconciliation bill, insist that it be included in the next one. While we’re at it, slip a repeal of the Hughes amendment in as well. Don’t let control of the Congress & the Presidency go to waste.
We all know there will always be a “must pass” bill of some sort every Congress — we should plan accordingly.
Even if the MG tax was raised to $500, spiking Hughes would mean SIGNIFICANT tax revenue gain–maybe even see prices drop enough from expanded supply to get them into Common Use.
Exactly! Even if only a quarter or even a tenth of current owners of AR-15s, AKs & the like legally convert their rifles to select fire, you would easily meet the SCOTUS “common use” criteria.
Of course, there’d be loads of new firearms manufactured & legally bought that are select fire out of the box.
Repealing Hughes along with passing the SHORT Act & the Hearing Protection Act would eviscerate the NFA.
The rub is there’s only ONE must-pass that can bypass the filibuster and that’s the Budget. Everything else, no matter how “Must Pass” it may be you KNOW the Dems will go Hostage Takers on a level to make their pals Hamas jealous.