FALSE: Fact Checking CT Senator Chris Murphy on Hearing Protection ~ VIDEO

Editor’s Note: Always verify what politicians say—especially when it comes to your rights.

FACT CHECK This bill DOES NOT get rid of background checks for suppressors. In fact, purchasers would still be subject to the exact same FBI background check. What the bill DOES DO is remove the punitive NFA tax on these hearing safety devices. pic.twitter.com/E7yXjPMd5P

— American Suppressor (@AmSuppressor) June 12, 2025

In a recent press conference flanked by fellow anti-gun Democrats, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) made a series of alarming—and misleading—statements about firearm suppressors, also known as “silencers.” His remarks came in response to growing Republican support for the Hearing Protection Act (HPA), which would remove suppressors from the outdated National Firearms Act (NFA) tax and registry scheme.

Murphy claimed the bill would effectively “mass legalize” suppressors, making mass shootings “two or three times worse,” and even accused the firearms industry of wanting to sell to criminals. “Silencers are the tools of killers… they are the tools of criminals. Period. Stop,” Murphy declared. “The gun industry is agnostic as to the purpose you are using your gun… willing to sell to criminals just as [they] are to law-abiding citizens.”

But Murphy’s emotional rhetoric was quickly corrected by the American Suppressor Association (ASA), which set the record straight:

“This bill DOES NOT get rid of background checks for suppressors. In fact, purchasers would still be subject to the exact same FBI background check. What the bill DOES DO is remove the punitive NFA tax on these hearing safety devices.”

What the Hearing Protection Act Actually Does

The HPA seeks to treat suppressors like ordinary firearms under the Gun Control Act of 1968—not deregulate them entirely. That means buyers would still have to:

• Pass an FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check
• Purchase through an authorized Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer
• Follow all applicable federal, state, and local firearm laws

What the HPA would remove is the $200 tax and the months-long wait imposed by the National Firearms Act of 1934—a law originally intended to tax criminal use of machine guns and sawed-off shotguns, not hearing protection tools.

Suppressors: Safety Tools, Not Assassin Gear

Contrary to Hollywood myths and Murphy’s fear-mongering, suppressors do not make gunfire silent. On average, they reduce gunshot noise by about 20-35 decibels—roughly the difference between a jackhammer and a chainsaw. Their primary benefit is hearing safety, not stealth.

In fact, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery came out in support of silencers as the primary best means of preventing hearing loss for shooters, stating:

“The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery endorses the use of firearm suppressors as an effective method of reducing the risk of hearing loss, especially when used in conjunction with conventional hearing protective measures.”

Law enforcement, military, and hunters alike use suppressors to prevent permanent hearing damage. In fact, suppressors are legal in 42 states, and lawful ownership has surged—over 4 million suppressors are registered today, with almost zero criminal misuse.

The Real Motive: Taxation as a Weapon

Gun control advocates like Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) have admitted the NFA suppressor tax was intended to discourage ownership—not raise revenue. In a recent House Rules Committee meeting, Dean even floated the idea of tripling the tax to $600.

“If we tripled it, you might actually discourage some sales of silencers. Wouldn’t that be a good thing?” Dean asked.

Such comments reveal the broader agenda: not about public safety, but about using the tax code to suppress lawful Second Amendment rights.

A Growing Coalition Fights Back

The American Suppressor Association, joined by over 30 pro-Second Amendment groups, firearm companies, and medical professionals, is pushing back hard. In a May 22 letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the coalition demanded Congress repeal the suppressor tax and include Section 2 of the HPA in the reconciliation package now moving through Congress.

Their position is clear:

“The NFA is an unconstitutional tax scheme… It impedes the ability of all Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights.”

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Bottom Line

Senator Murphy’s claim that removing the NFA suppressor tax would somehow arm mass shooters is not only wrong—it’s dangerously misleading. Law-abiding Americans already undergo background checks to buy suppressors, and the HPA would keep those safeguards in place.

The real change? An end to the $200 extortion fee and the bureaucratic red tape that makes hearing protection a luxury instead of a right.

It’s time to stop demonizing gun owners and start telling the truth about what suppressors really are: safety tools—not tools of crime.

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