REPUBLICAN STUDY COMMITTEE INCLUDES HEARING PROTECTION ACT IN 2022 BUDGET

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On May 19th, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) announced their FY2022 Budget entitled “Reclaiming our Fiscal Future”. For the first time, their budget, which includes over 130 Member-sponsored bills, incorporated Rep. Jeff Duncan’s (R-SC-03) Hearing Protection Act (HPA). As the largest ideological caucus in Congress with 153 members, the inclusion of the Hearing Protection Act in the RSC budget underscores the mainstream nature of both firearm suppressors and the HPA within the Republican political agenda. Although passage is unlikely in this Congress, the incorporation of the HPA into the RSC budget is a tremendous advancement for this common-sense legislation.

The primary purpose of the HPA is to remove suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA), making it easier for law-abiding citizens to protect their hearing while using firearms. Rather than the onerous months long application process and a $200 tax, prospective buyers would simply have to pass an instant FBI NICS check, the same background check that is used during the sale of long guns. In doing so, law-abiding citizens in the 42 states where the private ownership of suppressors is currently legal would remain free to purchase suppressors, while prohibited persons would continue to be barred from purchasing or possessing these accessories.

“We agree with the Republican Study Committee wholeheartedly that citizens should not have to pay a tax to protect their hearing while exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Knox Williams, President and Executive Director of ASA. “We know for a fact that exposure to noise from recreational firearms is one of the leading causes of hearing loss, which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) have all recommended using suppressors as a tool to mitigate preventable hearing damage. The American Suppressor Association applauds the RSC for their leadership and willingness to take a stand in support of suppressors and the Second Amendment.”

The terms “silencer” and “suppressor” refer to the same thing – a muffler for a firearm. Contrary to popular belief, no device can silence the noise of a gunshot. They are simply too loud. However, suppressors can reduce the noise to safer levels. According to the National Hearing Conservation Association, “although firearm suppressors do not completely eliminate the risk of [noise-induced hearing loss] from firearm noise, the risk can be significantly reduced…Therefore, NHCA supports the use of firearm noise suppressors as a form of an engineering noise control to reduce hazardous firearm noise exposures.”