The United States House of Representatives has passed President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” without removing suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), and any other weapons (AOWs) from the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA). Although the items will still require NFA registration, the making and transfer taxes have been dropped to $0.
The fight started in the House, where the House Committee on Ways and Means passed the reconciliation bill with a $0 tax stamp for suppressors. When it went to the floor, a manager’s amendment removed suppressors from the NFA. That is known as section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act. Notably absent was the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act. That act removes SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs from the NFA. The bill was passed by the House and moved to the Senate.
In the Senate, after a torrent of public pressure, Republicans added section 3 of the HPA to the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Section 3 is state-level protection for suppressors. Republicans also added the SHORT Act.
The bill was submitted to the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough. The Democrat determined the provision violated the Byrd Rule. The Byrd Rule says that only budgetary items, such as taxes, can be changed through the reconciliation process.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) could have chosen to disregard the parliamentarian’s advice and retained the original language. He could have also decided to fire Ms. MacDonough from her position. The parliamentarian serves at the pleasure of the Senate Majority Leader. Ms. MacDonough was appointed to the position in 2012 by then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who served under President Barack Obama. Sen. Thune decided to do neither, angering House members.
The Senate version was sent back to the House for further consideration. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) attempted to amend the reconciliation bill to reinstate both the SHORT Act and the HPA, but his effort was unsuccessful. The bill would advance to the House floor, where it would pass on a mostly party-line vote with Republicans Thomas Massie and Brian Fitzpatrick crossing the aisle to vote with their Democrat colleagues against the bill’s passage. The bill now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.
The disregard for the HPA and SHORT Act enraged gun rights activists. Multiple lawsuits were announced shortly after the bill’s passage. The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), and the American Suppressor Association (ASA) are filing a lawsuit. A second lawsuit is being filed by Gun Owners of America (GOA), Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition (FRAC), Palmetto State Armory (PSA), and Silencer Shop. Although the lawsuit content is not public, a $0 tax could be constitutionally dubious.
According to a 1937 United States Supreme Court ruling, the NFA is a tax. A tax must have a revenue-generating purpose. A $0 tax does not raise any revenue. That distinction puts it at odds with the United States Constitution. It is logical to assume that gun groups will pursue this avenue of attack in their lawsuits.
The $0 tax stamp will go into effect January 1st, 2026.
About John Crump
Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
Yet again, republicans caved to the left, funding many of their agenda items, while screwing us, and not even trying to overrule or fire the parliamentarian. The gop is nothing more than controlled opposition, a foil for political theater, and they certainly don’t represent conservatives. The GOP slows down the socialists just enough to normalize their socialist policies, lying to us, giving false hope, and keeping us from rebellion.
Does anyone really give a rats ass about a $200 tax? Didnt think so. This was a total loss for us. Dems 1 – Americans 0. We all know what a win for us would look like and this aint it.
None of these clowns on either side of the aisle support the second amendment the way our founders intended . They expose themselves all the time for what true POS they are .
I have never seen so many Republicans hide behind an unelected Democrat that had been in that position since 2012. How disgusting does it get. It’s so obvious that some elected Republicans are on the take, receiving bribes behind closed doors. Include JD Vance in that group also. He just lost millions of votes for President in the 2028 elections. Who cares that they dropped the $200 tax, most people that can afford a suppressor, can afford the tax. Any Republican fund collectors that read this, remove me from your rolls. I’m done, I just didn’t realize how many RINOS… Read more »
so now fake republicans and most ‘pro-gun’ groups who signed off on this bill now want us to wait years for this to drag through the courts, when all they had to do was their constitutional duties. promises made promise not kept! unfortunately, American voters including most gun owners have very short memories and will reelect these same fake republicans next year and this is exactly what these fake republicans are counting on your short memories. It’s time to clean the chambers of both houses out and start fresh.
Sold out once again by Republicans. With friends like these who needs enemies?
I am so angry, I cannot see strait. First off, thank you Representative Andrew Clyde for your tireless work trying to make this happen. It was the shooting community that rescued DJT from exile on the Isle of Elba and restored him to the throne. But where was he when OUR cause was up in the air? He sat back, grinning, watching the theatre. Did he leverage the asshat Senate Majority Leader, Thune? No. Did je instruct JD Vance to overrule the leftist Parlamemtarian witch? No. Wjere were my senstors, Cornyn and Cruz? I expected as much from that slime… Read more »
A reminder the Parliamentarian has zero power. She only provides advice that the President of the Senate must choose to follow and enact. Vance was perfectly free to ignore her determination. He refused to have any kind of spine and instead signed up to be pegged because otherwise Murkowski might have to make a hard decision on the record. Instead of doing anything about her, the executive decide to pull out all stops attack Republicans who questioned the actual pork within the bill. Absolute disgrace from Trump and Vance here.
You cant polish a turd, but here we are trying to pick it up by the clean end.
Well team we were kicked to the curb with a Hob nailed boot that had Republican stamped into the rubber sole. JD Vance will have trouble getting elected Dog Catcher in 2028. How insulting to think doing away with $200 tax stamp would satisfy the gun vote. Allowing a Democrat Parliamentarian, unelected leftist to have more clout than the top 5 Republicans is beyond comprehension.