Hearing Protection Act
Sponsored By: Representative Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would reclassify firearm silencers under federal law by removing them from the National Firearms Act's definition of “firearm” and creating a parallel federal licensing and tax framework. It would also preempt state and local silencer taxes and require destruction of prior federal silencer records.
Show full summary
- Owners and buyers: People acquiring or possessing silencers would be subject to a federal licensing and registration regime under Chapter 44 of Title 18, even as silencers are taken out of the NFA firearm definition.
- State and local governments: Would be barred from imposing taxes, special registration, marking, or recordkeeping on silencers beyond ordinary sales or use taxes.
- Records and industry rules: Would require destruction of existing silencer entries in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record within 365 days, mandate serial-number marking on silencers, and add a 10 percent federal excise tax on silencers sold by manufacturers or importers.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Easier federal process for silencers
The bill would remove silencers from the National Firearms Act list. If you get or have a silencer under federal chapter 44 rules, you would be treated as meeting NFA registration rules. The Attorney General would have to destroy listed silencer registrations and related applications within 365 days after enactment. The removal would apply starting in calendar quarters that begin more than 90 days after enactment.
10% excise tax for silencer makers
The bill would add a 10% federal excise tax to firearm silencers and mufflers. It would apply when a manufacturer, producer, or importer sells one. It would start for calendar quarters that begin more than 90 days after enactment. Makers could pass this cost to buyers, so retail prices could rise.
Marking rules and state preemption for silencers
The bill would set new federal definitions for firearm silencers and mufflers. Licensed makers and importers would need to engrave a serial number on the outer tube or main housing. If that is not practical, they could request a variance, and the Attorney General would grant it unless there is good cause to deny. The bill would also block state or local taxes (other than normal sales or use taxes) and any special registration or record rules that single out silencers in interstate commerce.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
VA • R
Cosponsors
Pfluger
TX • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Estes
KS • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Moore (WV)
WV • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Bean (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]
NY • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]
TX • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1]
AL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Nehls
TX • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4]
UT • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]
PA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Wittman
VA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Hudson
NC • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13]
FL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3]
FL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
GA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Perry, Scott [R-PA-10]
PA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Bost
IL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1]
MI • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]
MN • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Collins, Mike [R-GA-10]
GA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]
MO • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3]
TN • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Fulcher
ID • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
McGuire
VA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Aderholt
AL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
McDowell
NC • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1]
MD • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2]
TN • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Kustoff
TN • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Timmons
SC • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Loudermilk
GA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Crank, Jeff [R-CO-5]
CO • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9]
VA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Hern (OK)
OK • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Womack
AR • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Babin
TX • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Maloy
UT • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Rep. Comer, James [R-KY-1]
KY • R
Sponsored 1/15/2025
Langworthy
NY • R
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]
CA • R
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Obernolte
CA • R
Sponsored 1/16/2025
Norman
SC • R
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Sessions
TX • R
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Biggs (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Schmidt
KS • R
Sponsored 1/22/2025
Green (TN)
TN • R
Sponsored 1/22/2025
Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1]
MT • R
Sponsored 1/22/2025
Rep. Boebert, Lauren [R-CO-4]
CO • R
Sponsored 1/23/2025
Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]
CO • R
Sponsored 1/28/2025
Rep. Jackson, Ronny [R-TX-13]
TX • R
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Rep. Alford, Mark [R-MO-4]
MO • R
Sponsored 2/11/2025
Onder
MO • R
Sponsored 2/11/2025
Rep. Strong, Dale W. [R-AL-5]
AL • R
Sponsored 2/11/2025
Hageman
WY • R
Sponsored 2/12/2025
Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-5]
MI • R
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5]
TN • R
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]
NC • R
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Simpson
ID • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26]
TX • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2]
IN • R
Sponsored 3/11/2025
Stutzman
IN • R
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8]
AZ • R
Sponsored 3/27/2025
Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large]
AK • R
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Webster (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
KS • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3]
LA • R
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4]
MI • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Tiffany
WI • R
Sponsored 4/14/2025
Rep. Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [D-WA-3]
WA • D
Sponsored 4/14/2025
Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/14/2025
Rep. Rulli, Michael A. [R-OH-6]
OH • R
Sponsored 4/28/2025
Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1]
TN • R
Sponsored 4/30/2025
Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5]
NC • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Wied
WI • R
Sponsored 5/6/2025
Rose
TN • R
Sponsored 5/13/2025
Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3]
NE • R
Sponsored 5/13/2025
Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]
MT • R
Sponsored 5/13/2025
Van Duyne
TX • R
Sponsored 5/15/2025
Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
OK • R
Sponsored 5/19/2025
Latta
OH • R
Sponsored 5/19/2025
Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]
WI • R
Sponsored 5/19/2025
Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5]
TX • R
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7]
GA • R
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Rep. Palmer, Gary J. [R-AL-6]
AL • R
Sponsored 5/21/2025
Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3]
MS • R
Sponsored 6/4/2025
Barr
KY • R
Sponsored 6/6/2025
Moore (NC)
NC • R
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Rep. Fine, Randy [R-FL-6]
FL • R
Sponsored 6/23/2025
Gonzales, Tony
TX • R
Sponsored 7/2/2025
DesJarlais
TN • R
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Knott
NC • R
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1]
NE • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Feenstra
IA • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Rep. Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7]
OH • R
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Hunt
TX • R
Sponsored 10/14/2025
Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]
SC • R
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Harris (NC)
NC • R
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Rep. Arrington, Jodey C. [R-TX-19]
TX • R
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Crenshaw
TX • R
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5]
AZ • R
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Rep. Westerman, Bruce [R-AR-4]
AR • R
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]
NY • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Stauber
MN • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]
CA • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Rep. Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5]
LA • R
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2]
OH • R
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3]
AL • R
Sponsored 11/17/2025
Johnson (SD)
SD • R
Sponsored 11/17/2025
Rep. Fischbach, Michelle [R-MN-7]
MN • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
IN • R
Sponsored 11/28/2025
Jack
GA • R
Sponsored 12/19/2025
Messmer
IN • R
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Fitzgerald
WI • R
Sponsored 2/10/2026
Rep. Fallon, Pat [R-TX-4]
TX • R
Sponsored 3/20/2026
Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1]
UT • R
Sponsored 3/27/2026
Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
NC • R
Sponsored 3/30/2026
Fedorchak
ND • R
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Rep. Patronis, Jimmy [R-FL-1]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov