Sen. Lee introduces legislation to simplify process to buy gun silencers

Photo: Sen. Mike Lee

WASHINGTON – Last week, Utah Senator Mike Lee introduced legislation that would simplify the process for law-abiding Americans to aquire a firearm.

The bill, titled the Silencers Help Us Save Hearing (SHUSH) Act, would “eliminate the excessive regulation of firearm suppressors” as well as reduce bureaucratic obstacles.

“Suppressors are safety accessories, and their purchase should not be subject to antiquated federal controls,” Sen. Lee said. “This bill is about making it easier for responsible gun owners to protect their hearing and safety while enjoying their Second Amendment right.”

The bill was cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and John Cornyn (R-TX). The bill has also received public support from the National Association for Gun Rights, Gun Owners of America, the National Rifle Association, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

For context, suppressors, or silencers, are firearm accessories used to reduce noise, recoil, and muzzle blast. While silencers suppress noise omitted from firearms, they do not completely silence them.

Currently, Americans who want to purchase a silencer have to complete a procedure through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). This process includes filling out two copies of the ATF Form 4; filling out the ATF Form 5330.20 Certification of Compliance; obtaining certification from a local chief law enforcement officer and two copies of fingerprints; and submitting two passport photos and writing a $200 check to the ATF.

The approval process to legally acquire a silencer can take up to 9 to 12 months.

“Gun Owners of America applauds the introduction of the SHUSH Act. The SHUSH Act would not only remove suppressors from the federal regulations of the National Firearms Act, but also treat suppressors as any other firearm accessory – free from the infringing background check process. Senator Lee’s bill will not only benefit hunters and sport shooters, but also take much needed steps for gun owners to restore the rights protected by the Second Amendment,” said Aidan Johnston, Director of Government Affairs, Gun Owners of America.

If passed, and as it currently stands, the SHUSH Act aims to eliminate federal regulation of suppressors as firearms under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and the Gun Control Act (GCA); remove existing taxes, fees, and registration requirements associated with suppressors; allow current or retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms with suppressors; strike provisions requiring mandatory minimum sentences for suppressor possession in certain cases; provide a provision for a refund of the $200 transfer tax for anyone who purchased a suppressor within two years prior to the enactment of the bill; and strike provisions requiring mandatory minimum sentences for suppressor possession in certain cases.