WASHINGTON, D.C. — Gun Owners of America (GOA) is calling out the House Ways and Means Committee for what it sees as a weak and disappointing move on suppressor reform, saying lawmakers missed a clear chance to roll back unconstitutional gun control.
The new language, included in a broader tax package, would reduce the $200 federal tax on suppressors to zero. However, the process to own a suppressor under the National Firearms Act (NFA)—which includes federal registration, paperwork, and waiting for government approval—would remain in place.
GOA had been pushing for full deregulation of suppressors. That means no tax, no registration, and no NFA process at all. The group says this kind of full repeal was possible using a legislative tool called budget reconciliation.
Reconciliation allows Congress to pass laws that affect taxes and spending with just a simple majority in the Senate—51 votes—instead of the usual 60 votes needed to break a filibuster, which is when senators block a bill by dragging out debate. GOA says lawmakers could have used this tool to remove the tax and the registration requirement, but chose not to.
“This isn’t a compromise, it’s a betrayal,” said Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of GOA. “The House Ways and Means Committee chose to leave unconstitutional registration and taxes in place even though they had a clear path to repeal them. GOA made it crystal clear that full deregulation of suppressors and protection for brace owners was achievable under reconciliation. Lawmakers knew it, and they chose political convenience over principle. Gun owners won’t forget this.”
The current proposal also keeps the $200 tax in place for most other NFA items like short-barreled rifles and introduces a new $5 tax for certain others. GOA says this change doesn’t fix the core issue: the federal government’s continued control and tracking of law-abiding gun owners through NFA regulations.
“Congress has a clear path to dismantle the National Firearms Act through budget reconciliation because it is a $200 tax—plain and simple,” said Aidan Johnston, GOA’s Director of Federal Affairs. “Republicans have no excuse to not gut this unconstitutional law to the fullest extent the Senate Parliamentarian allows; anything less is cowardice and a direct compromise on our Second Amendment rights.”
While dropping the suppressor tax to $0 may sound like a win at first glance, GOA argues that the continued requirement to register and seek government approval makes the change largely symbolic. For gun owners, the fight is not just about the money—it’s about eliminating the red tape and government oversight that comes with NFA regulations.
GOA, which represents over two million members and activists, says it will keep pushing for the full repeal of all NFA taxes and registration requirements.
