Democrats Introduce Ban on Sale, Possession of Firearm Suppressors

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced legislation on Wednesday to ban the sale and possession of firearm suppressors.

His legislation, the Help Empower Americans to Respond (HEAR) Act, is co-sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), among others.

It would ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, and possession of firearm suppressors.

Menendez commented on the legislation, saying:

Gun silencers are dangerous devices with one purpose and one purpose only – to muffle the sound of gunfire from unsuspecting victims. The sound of gunshots is what signals you to run, hide, take cover, call the police and help others save themselves; however, this is nearly impossible when a gun silencer is used. That is why we must pass the HEAR Act, commonsense legislation that will prevent armed assailants from using these deadly devices to make it easier to shoot and kill another person.

Sen. Feinstein also commented: “Gun silencers and suppressors are dangerous and don’t belong in our communities. They hide the sound of gunfire from potential victims and law enforcement. Removing them will save lives.”

As Menendez pushes his suppressor gun control in the Senate, Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) is working in the House to accomplish a complete deregulation of suppressors at the federal level. This includes preempting state law that regulates, taxes, or prohibits the possession of suppressors.

Good told Breitbart News: “The Second Amendment is the guarantor or protector of all other rights. If our Second Amendment right is not safe, no rights are safe. Democrats continue to fear-monger and spread misinformation as a justification to undermine our constitutional rights. I’m pleased to introduce legislation that will remove regulatory burdens from purchasing accessories that protect hearing and promote safety.”

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. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.