Posted on 05/11/2025 9:11:17 AM PDT by Towed_Jumper
The Hearing Protection Act (HPA) might be in trouble in the House Ways and Means Committee, and anti-gun lobbyists are NOT the ones holding it up. David Kustoff (R-TN) has been actively pushing to lower the tax stamp to $5 from $200, which would be a welcome change, but the better alternative is to remove suppressors completely from the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA). That would eliminate the tax stamp fee and remove all other NFA requirements.
This option is the best option for gun owners, yet he is pushing the latter and is against the elimination of suppressors from the NFA.
Rep Kustoff’s constituents include a substantial percentage of gun owners. His push to keep suppressors on the NFA does not make sense unless outside forces are putting pressure on his office to lower the fee to $5 instead of completely removing them from the NFA. Anti-gun groups would be lobbying to keep the status quo, meaning the pressure is most likely coming from the pro-gun side. AmmoLand News has been provided with the name of the lobbyist pushing for a fee reduction instead of elimination from the NFA by our sources inside the House Ways and Means Committee.
It is a name that should be familiar to most in the gun rights community….
Heavy lobbying is being done by the former head of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), Chris Cox, a paid lobbyist. Cox is working to lower the tax stamp fee to $5 and keep suppressors on the NFA!
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
“The current NRA-ILA has pushed for the removal of suppressors from the NFA, and Cox's actions are contrary to that stance. Mr. Cox no longer has any connections to the NRA. Mr. Cox has also lobbied for a gun company that produces suppressors, which has strongly advocated removing silencers from the NFA, and could make millions of dollars if the hearing protection item is delisted from the NFA.”
My guess is that Chris signed on to this , but might be open to supporting removal of suppressors from the act. I found him fairly responsive to my arguments against Red Flag laws.
May 13, 2025
Congressman David Kustoff proves he does not believe in or support your Second Amendment Rights!
Tennessee Firearms Association shared information concerning pending legislation that would entirely remove suppressors from the scope of the National Firearms Act. Other legislation would impose severe limits on future attempts to classify pistols as short barrel rifles. The bills were in a House committee to which David Kustoff (R - TN) is assigned.
This weekend Ammoland broke a news report that identifies Tennessee Congressman David Kustoff as a serious problem (it also identified former NRA operative Chris Cox as part of the problem!). Apparently, rather that supporting 2nd Amendment based efforts to repeal the transfer and registration tax on suppressors, Congressman Kustoff was telling Tennesseans to “kissoff” rather as he instead was advocating for merely reducing the fee from $200 to $5.
After TFA, Gun Owners of America and others ask for constituents to call, Kissoff Kustoff ignored those calls and continued to insist that suppressor remain subject to the burdens of the National Firearms Act.
Hey David! Its not an issue of a $200 tax. Its an issue of government regulating unconstitutionally items protected by the Second Amendment which mandates that these items “shall not be infringed” by government meddling.
Apparently, Kissoff Kustoff could care less about the Second Amendment.
Instead of supporting the removal of suppressor as items subject to the NFA, Kissoff Kustoff told Tennesseans to pound stand. He refused to remove them. Instead, his brilliant idea is to reduce the fee from $200 to $0 as if this was just about the money!!!
Here it is in his own words (probably written by a staffer or consultant):
Don’t shoot the messenger but...
The exact claim that “deer were in a near extinction status from poaching using suppressors” in Alabama during the Great Depression lacks credible historical backing. Grok
They were in near extinction due to poaching and TPTB used suppressors as a scare tactic to get them listed.
A good Lathe and a couple hose clamps is my idea but I
Won’t do dat.
Solution - Just declare forests suppressor free zones! /s
The right to infringe shall not be limited.
Supposedly the complete hearing act is in the bill...so far. The short, barreled rifle thing didn’t make it, but the senate might put in (or take it out or just reduce the tax to zero) or the house might put it back in when they get it back. At least to my understanding. Anyhow I didn’t find any other thread about it, so I searched for suppressors in the title and found this one. An update and so far so good.
FReegards
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