by The One, Big, Beautiful Bill passed the House today and will be sent to President Trump’s desk for signature. He wanted it before the 4th of July and he got his wish. The vote was 218-214 with two Republicans, Tom Massie (R-KY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), joining all the Democrats in voting against the bill.
Sec. 70436 of the bill removed the transfer and making taxes on silencers, short barreled rifles, short barreled shotguns, and any other weapons. The $200 tax is retained for machineguns and other destructive devices. The effective date will be the beginning of calendar quarters 90 days or more after the enactment of the bill. If I am calculating that correctly, then the tax goes to zero on January 1, 2026 given we have already started the 3rd quarter of 2025.
Once President Trump signs the bill then the real fun begins. The NRA, the American Suppressor Association, the Firearms Policy Coalition, and the Second Amendment Foundation issued a joint statement today stating their intention to sue.
SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut had this to say:
“The NFA is nothing more than a tax scheme which has imposed an unconstitutional burden on Americans since 1934,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “The registration of these items was only justified as the means to ensure taxes on them had been paid. With the One Big, Beautiful Bill zeroing out the tax for silencers and short barreled firearms, the registration scheme serves no other purpose than to create an unlawful barrier to keep people from exercising their Second Amendment rights. Our intention with this new lawsuit is to completely remove these barriers.”
UPDATE: The NRA just released these statements from President Bill Bachenberg, EVP Doug Hamlin, and ILA Director John Commerford.
“NRA worked throughout the reconciliation process on Capitol Hill to protect and strengthen the right to keep and bear arms,” said NRA President Bill Bachenberg. “Elections have consequences, and thanks to pro-gun majorities in both the House and Senate, American gun owners are seeing real results. A new era has begun in Washington, D.C., and the NRA is deeply grateful for President Trump’s unwavering support for our constitutional freedoms.”
“Congress has delivered a game-changing victory for gun owners – reducing the cost of a tax stamp for suppressors, short-barreled firearms, and ‘any other weapons’ to $0,” said Doug Hamlin, NRA Executive Vice President & CEO. “I thank the many NRA members and gun owners who contacted their Senators and Representatives urging them to protect Second Amendment rights. NRA looks forward to President Trump signing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill into law and building on his legacy as a champion for law-abiding gun owners.”
“Congressional Republicans took action to eliminate a nearly century-old punitive tax designed to discourage the lawful purchase and possession of constitutionally protected arms,” said John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). “NRA-ILA applauds the leadership in both chambers for getting the One, Big, Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s desk. While removing the tax is a significant step forward, it is only the beginning. We remain committed to our ultimate goal: ending the unconstitutional National Firearms Act.”
I was disappointed the House didn’t put the full text back in and force the Senate into a conference bill with them intact.
What worries me is the Robert’s Court’s ducking of pro 2A cases. Ocean State Tactical and Snope just being the latest. And Duncan isn’t even out of the 9th Circus after all these years. The law might be on our side but it’s no guarantee SCOTUS will take the case or that we win.
I am disappointed as well. However, the Senate version even after getting screwed by the Parliamentarian does expand it more than the House version. It included SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs which were not initially included in the House bill. If we hadn’t asked for more than suppressors, we would not have gotten those added.
This is the good news about NRA/SAF/FPC leading one team on one lawsuit and GOA/FRAC/PSA leading another on a second. I would humbly suggest that it’s in our best interests to support BOTH suits. We win both we start a pattern; win one lose the other we set up a Circuit Split which piques SCOTUS interest more.
It’s kind of like the SAC SIOP when my grandfather was wrenching on B-52s for LeMay: Each strike package had two aircraft from separate bases assigned, each carrying two warheads per target. If Aircraft 1’s first bomb was a dud the second would Make Sure; if Aircraft 1 went down Aircraft 2 finished the job.
I am happy to see all the organization cooperating.