Sen. Mike Lee Introduces Act to Simplify Firearm Suppressor Purchase Rules

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation on Monday designed to simplify the purchase rules related to firearm suppressors.

Currently, firearm suppressors are under the purview of the National Firearms Act (NFA) (1934), which means would-be purchasers have to be fingerprinted and photographed and pay the federal government $200 for a tax stamp allowing them to possess an NFA item. Moreover, the would-be purchaser must go through an extensive background check, and the suppressor must be registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

A suppressor is not a firearm and does not have a barrel, trigger, hammer, or action. It is simply a muffler that removes the sharp, ear-splitting sound of a bullet being fired.

Lee’s goal is to remove the bureaucratic hurdles tied to getting a suppressor; the name of his legislation is the Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing (SHUSH) Act.

A press release accompanying the SHUSH Act’s introduction states:

Suppressors, commonly known as silencers, are non-lethal firearm accessories widely used by hunters, sportsmen, and marksmen. These devices enhance safety by reducing noise, recoil, and muzzle blast. Contrary to popular belief, they do not completely silence firearms.

The Boone and Crockett Club notes:

As of January 2024, it is legal to own a suppressor in 42 states, and 41 states allow their use for hunting. According to Silencer Central, owning a suppressor is illegal in California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

The widespread state-level legality for owning suppressors and hunting with them is a driving force behind Lee’s goal to remove bureaucratic hurdles in the purchase process.

The SHUSH Act is supported by the National Association for Gun Rights, Gun Owners of America, the National Rifle Association, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio, a member of Gun Owners of America, and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and has a Ph.D. in Military History. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.