CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Ben Cline (R-VA)

Hearing Protection Act

H.R. 404 · House bill Taxation

A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See all 151 cosponsors

Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

In committee

Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.

The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This legislation is known as the Hearing Protection Act. It removes firearm silencers from the definition of firearms under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The bill changes how silencers are registered and licensed by treating individuals who acquire or possess them under certain federal rules as meeting National Firearms Act requirements (Section 3). It stops state and local governments from imposing special taxes, markings, recordkeeping, or registrations on silencers (Section 4). The Attorney General is required to destroy certain existing silencer registration and transfer records within 365 days (Section 5). Finally, the bill updates definitions, adds serial number marking rules for manufacturers, and imposes a 10 percent tax on firearm silencers and mufflers (Sections 6 and 7).

Yes· 3 of 5

  • Scored +9

    Would gun owners be better off under this?

    The bill significantly reduces registration burdens and state-level restrictions for silencer owners.

  • Scored +8

    Does this protect the right to own guns?

    The bill reduces regulatory burdens and registration requirements for silencer owners.

  • Scored +6

    Does this protect people from being watched or searched?

    The destruction of government records relating to silencer ownership enhances individual privacy.

The opposite· 3 of 4

  • Scored -8

    Does this leave more decisions to the states?

    The bill explicitly preempts state laws regarding taxes and registration requirements for silencers.

  • Scored -7

    Does this put more limits on buying or owning guns?

    The bill removes silencers from the firearm definition and requires the destruction of registration records.

  • Scored -5

    Does this give the government more power to monitor people inside the country?

    The bill requires the Attorney General to destroy existing silencer registration records, reducing government surveillance of these items.