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WASHINGTON, D.C. – It has been an exciting year for the ASA, and we’re not done yet. On the Federal side, our primary focus has been Rep. Salmon’s (R-AZ) Hearing Protection Act (HPA) (HR 3799). In addition to the HPA, which has 78 co-sponsors on both sides of the aisle, we also worked closely with Rep. Stewart’s (R-UT) office to introduce the Suppressor Export Act (SEA) (HR 5135). As Congress went into recess for the summer, we learned that Rep. Salmon would be retiring at the end of this session. When we were told that he would not be seeking reelection, we immediately began working with offices to identify a new sponsor for the HPA in the 115th Congress. While we aren’t ready to announce anything specific just yet, we can say that there are quite a few Representatives who are eager to put their name on the bill.

As we roll through hunting season, we are happy to see that, on the state level, suppressed hunting legislation became law in Michigan and New Hampshire. In Vermont, a sunset provision in the ownership law has also been removed, but the cherry on top was Iowa – which legalized both ownership of, and hunting with, suppressors for the citizens of the Hawkeye State. Despite these gains, there is still more work to do.

Right now, we are still actively working to legalize suppressors in Illinois this year. As part of our No State Left Behind campaign, we will not stop working until all 50 states allow their law abiding citizens to own and use suppressors in the field. Combining both ownership and hunting, we now have 10 states left to go.

Lastly, we are proud to announce that we have grown the ranks of our Association. As you may have seen in our recent press release, the ASA hired Owen Miller as our new Director of Outreach. Owen, who has been a suppressor enthusiast since before Y2K, comes to us with over a decade of experience at one of the top suppressor manufacturers.

Lastly, we also recently expanded our Board of Directors to 13 members by elected three top industry executives to the Board. These new members include Laurie Aronson, CEO of Lipsey’s, Brad Johnson, CEO of United Sporting Companies and Crosman Corporation, and Graham Hill, CEO of Ice Miller Strategies. Their experience and expertise has strengthened our ability to protect and expand pro-suppressor reform across the country.

This Post Has 5 Comments

  1. William Sperry

    Since starting shooting as a kid always protecting my hearing from shooting and then finding out how loud and painful a shot is during deer hunting trip. Also how annoying it is for everyone else in the area. It’s incomprehensible why these days we are still dealing with a noisy problem. Let’s keep up the efforts and change things for the better.

  2. Larry Crandall

    Are you trying to get suppressors off of the NFA list, as they do not qualify as a firearm, but an accessory like a light or laser. I quit carrying them in my store because of the ATF dragging there feet on the paperwork.

  3. ASA

    We are trying to get them removed from the NFA and treated like a Title I firearm – just a 4473 and a NICS check to purchase.

  4. Rusty Brodnax

    After eight months I’m getting tired of waiting for my two suppressors! Thanks for trying to help all of us out.

  5. ASA

    The long wait is just plain unacceptable.

Comments are closed.