In the current session of Congress, there are two bills which comprise the hearing protection act (HPA) . Senate Bill 59, sponsored by Senator Mike Crapo (pronounced "CRAY-poe") of Idaho, and House Resolution 367, introduced by representatives Jeff Duncan and John "Judge" Carter, both of Texas. The prior bill about silencer reform, HR 3779, is a law that died in Committee in 2015. S.59 and H.R. 367 are the vehicles to get this bill through Congress this session. The Hearing Protection Act is the proposal to deregulate silencers, also known as suppressors or "cans." It would eliminate the NFA-required $200 transfer tax and the special forms and applications that one needs. It would replace those things with a standard form 4473 at the time of purchase, just like buying a regular gun today. Both of these bills are in their respective committees right now. Unless Senate Bill 59 and HR 367 get passed from their Committees, our senators and your representatives in Congress will not even have a chance to vote for them. S. 59 is in the Senate Finance Committee . H.R. 367 is in the House Ways and Means Committee.
I called the sponsors of both of these bills today and checked the status of them. Now is the time to: 1-- call (write, fax, email) our own Senators and Representatives, and 2-- call or write the members of the Committees to which each bill is assigned.
Senate Finance Comm. Chairman Orrin G. Hatch Official Website » | Biography » Ranking Member Ron Wyden Official Website » | Biography » Majority Chuck Grassley (R - IA) Official Website » Mike Crapo (R - ID) Official Website » Pat Roberts (R - KS) Official Website » Michael B. Enzi (R - WY) Official Website » John Cornyn (R - TX) Official Website » John Thune (R - SD) Official Website » Richard Burr (R - NC) Official Website » Johnny Isakson (R - GA) Official Website » Rob Portman (R - OH) Official Website » Patrick J. Toomey (R - PA) Official Website » Dean Heller (R - NV) Official Website » Tim Scott (R - SC) Official Website » Bill Cassidy (R - LA) Debbie Stabenow (D - MI) Official Website » Maria Cantwell (D - WA) Official Website » Bill Nelson (D - FL) Official Website » Robert Menendez (D - NJ) Official Website » Thomas R. Carper (D - DE) Official Website » Benjamin L. Cardin (D - MD) Official Website » Sherrod Brown (D - OH) Official Website » Michael F. Bennet (D - CO) Official Website » Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D - PA) Official Website » Mark R. Warner (D - VA) Official Website » Claire McCaskill (D - MO) Official Website »
HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, 115th Congress (2017-2018 session) Chairman: Kevin Brady http://kevinbrady.house.gov/ Members: There are 40 of them, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats. See each one listed, with his or her photo, here: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/subcommittee/full-committee/
I'm sending e-mail to Doug Collins, my own Representative, and snail-mail letters to two other Republicans on the House Committee: Carlos Curbelo (FL) and Kristi Noem (SD). Who else here at GeorgiaPacking will make some calls or send some letters to help with this cause?
So, who else wants NFA reform? Easier and quicker purchase of silencers? Who'd like to still have their hearing at age 40 or 60, rather than being half-deaf and having constant ringing in your ears? Don't just sit on your butts and read the computer screen. Call. E-mail. Write real letters, with a stamp! Send a fax. Tell Senators Johnny Iasakson and David Perdue how you feel. Tell your Representative in Congress.
Finally got a response from Isakson's office today. Standard boiler plate "I'm working hard for Georgians" BS.