On February 22, the bipartisan National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) Executive Council President Representative Brandon Phelps (IL) submitted a letter to all members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) urging them to support and cosponsor the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 367/S. 59).
The Hearing Protection Act will provide America’s sportsmen and women with easier access to firearm suppressors by removing them from the scope of the National Firearms Act (NFA), replacing the outdated federal transfer process with an instantaneous NICS background check. In doing so, law-abiding citizens will remain able to purchase suppressors, while prohibited persons will continue to be barred from purchasing or possessing them. Suppressors are simply mufflers for firearms, which function by trapping the expanding gasses at the muzzle, allowing them to slowly cool in a controlled environment. On average, suppressors reduce the noise of a gunshot by 20-35 decibels (dB), roughly the same sound reduction as earplugs or earmuffs.
The letter discusses the many reasons that the bipartisan NASC Executive Council supports easing the regulation of this hearing-protection technology and the resounding success that NASC member caucuses have had in passing pro-suppressor legislation at the state level in recent years.
“Given the realities of what firearm suppressors actually do – as opposed to what Hollywood would have you believe – the Executive Council of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses is strongly encouraging our esteemed colleagues in the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus to support this common-sense legislation,” said Rep. Phelps.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
