The National Rifle Association (NRA), the American Suppressor Association (ASA), the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), an the Second Amendment Foundation released a joint announcement regarding President Donald Trump‘s domestic policy bill, which just passed the House of Representatives and is on its way to Trump’s desk.
The announcement reads: “When President Trump signs the One Big Beautiful Bill — which will eliminate the excise tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and AOWs — he will have delivered the biggest blow to the National Firearms Act since its passage nearly a century ago. We thank President Trump for his leadership and every member of Congress who fought for law-abiding gun owners throughout the reconciliation process.”
The fight is just beginning. @NRA pic.twitter.com/fBIYYh9NO3
— John Commerford (@jcommerford) July 3, 2025
Note: The National Firearms Act (NFA) is a 1934 federal law regulating certain firearms. It imposes a tax on the manufacture, transfer, and making of specific types of firearms, and requires registration of these weapons with the federal government. Since 1934, the $200 tax on suppressors (or silencers) has not waivered, until now. After the bill, the tax is $0.
The four organizations, which vow to ultimately dismantle the NFA “once and for all,” also announced that they are launching a new lawsuit to challenge the constitutionally of the NFA in Federal Court. NRA-ILA executive director John Commerford wrote: “This is just the beginning.”
Not all NRA members are pleased with the announcement. As one replied: “you’re celebrating eliminating the cost but not eliminating it altogether? in 1934 the Supreme Court ruled that the NFA is basically only constitutional because it’s a tax and not a registry, rulings have come down since affirming a registry of private owned firearms is unconstitutional. If the tax levy is waived, then it is no longer a tax and now becomes a registry. This is not something to celebrate, this is something that requires immediate lawsuits to be filed.”