WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican efforts to relax regulations on gun silencers and short-barreled rifles and shotguns faced a significant setback when the Senate parliamentarian advised that the proposal would require a 60-vote threshold if included in their comprehensive tax and immigration bill. Gun rights groups had been pushing for the measure, which aimed to treat silencers and short-barreled firearms similarly to long guns. However, gun-control advocates welcomed the parliamentarian’s decision, arguing that these items have been regulated for nearly a century due to the threat they pose to first responders and communities.
In the House version of the GOP’s bill, silencers—referred to as “suppressors” by the gun industry—were removed from a 1930s law regulating the most dangerous firearms, accompanied by the elimination of a $200 tax. Conversely, the Senate retained the silencers provision and extended it to include short-barreled, or sawed-off, rifles and shotguns. Prospective buyers of regulated weapons under the National Firearms Act must undergo a fingerprint-based background check, a process that is more rigorous than name-based checks for other firearms purchases with no specified deadline.
The Senate parliamentarian ruled that the silencers provision violated the “Byrd Rule,” which prohibits budget changes included in legislation from being “merely incidental” to policy changes. This rule aims to prevent unrelated provisions from being added to the bill. Senator Ron Wyden criticized Republicans for attempting to roll back gun safety measures to cater to the gun lobby, stating that such policies do not belong in a reconciliation bill.
Gun rights groups raised concerns about the $200 tax and the lengthy background check process for silencers and short-barreled weapons. Advocates of the legislation, like Larry Keane of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, argued that the proposed changes aimed to help target shooters and hunters protect their hearing, emphasizing the rarity of silencers being used in violent crimes. Despite disagreement with the ruling, the National Rifle Association expressed commitment to working with allies in Congress to eliminate the tax burden on constitutionally-protected arms.
Opponents of the measure, such as Giffords—a gun violence prevention organization co-founded by former Rep. Gabby Giffords—argued that loosening safeguards on gun silencers would facilitate criminals evading law enforcement, increasing risks for both officers and civilians. Additionally, removing restrictions on short-barreled firearms could make it easier for criminals to access easily concealable weapons that could be brought into crowded areas.
The gun-related provisions enjoyed significant Republican support but faced criticism from various advocacy groups.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, are currently addressing internal party disagreements regarding reductions in Medicaid and energy tax credits, among other matters. This is merely one of numerous policy and budgetary elements included to garner support from members for the legislation, with far-reaching implications for the future.
