The Hearing Protection Act: What’s Going On in 2025

Isaiah Giles   May 28, 2025

silencers hearing protection act

The Hearing Protection Act (HPA) is a proposed law in the United States that aims to make it easier for people to buy and own firearm suppressors, also known as silencers. These devices lower the loud bang of a gunshot to protect your hearing, but they don’t make guns silent like in the movies. Right now, buying a suppressor is a hassle because of strict rules from a 1934 law called the National Firearms Act (NFA). The HPA wants to change that by treating suppressors like regular gun accessories, like a scope or a sling. This article explains what the HPA is, why it matters, what’s happening with it as of May 26, 2025, and what might come next in simple terms.

What Is the Hearing Protection Act?

The HPA is a bill that’s been floating around Congress since 2015. It’s pushed by groups like the American Suppressor Association (ASA), the National Rifle Association (NRA), and others who say the current rules on suppressors are outdated. Suppressors help reduce the noise of a gunshot, which can prevent hearing loss for hunters and shooters. For example, a gunshot can be as loud as a jet engine, but a suppressor brings it down to something closer to a loud power tool. The problem is, under the NFA, buying a suppressor means paying a $200 tax, filling out a ton of paperwork, getting fingerprinted, and waiting months for approval.

The HPA wants to:

• Drop the strict rules: Treat suppressors like regular guns, so you’d only need a quick background check, like when buying a rifle.
• Get rid of the $200 tax: No extra fee to own a suppressor.
• Clear old records: The government would destroy its records of suppressor owners within a year.
• Stop extra state taxes: States couldn’t add their own taxes or rules on suppressors, though some states that ban them outright (like California or New York) could still keep their bans.
• There’s also a related bill called the SHUSH Act, which goes even further by saying suppressors shouldn’t be regulated at all, like buying a flashlight or a backpack.

 

Why Do People Want This?

Supporters say the HPA is about common sense:

Protecting your ears: Shooting guns without ear protection can cause permanent hearing damage. Many hunters don’t wear earplugs because they need to hear their surroundings, and suppressors help solve this.

 

Making shooting easier: Suppressors reduce recoil (the kick of a gun) and make it easier to aim accurately.

 

Less noise complaints: Quieter guns mean fewer complaints from neighbors near shooting ranges or hunting areas.

 

On the other side, some people, like gun control groups, worry that making suppressors easier to get could make it harder for police to catch criminals using guns. But supporters point out that suppressors are rarely used in crimes, and they don’t make guns silent—just less loud.

What’s Happening in 2025?

As of May 26, 2025, the HPA is closer to becoming law than ever before, but it’s not a done deal. Here’s the latest:

The House Says Yes

On May 23, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a huge bill called H.R. 1, nicknamed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” It’s a giant package of laws, and the HPA was included in it. The House vote was super close—215 to 214—so it barely passed. This is a big deal because it’s the first time the HPA has made it through the House. Gun groups like the NRA and ASA are thrilled, calling it a major win for gun owners.

The Senate’s Turn

Now, the bill is in the Senate, where things get trickier. The Senate is split almost evenly between Republicans (who mostly support the HPA) and Democrats (who mostly don’t). To pass, the bill might need 60 votes to avoid a filibuster (a tactic to block a vote), which is tough. Some posts on X show gun supporters urging people to call their senators to keep the HPA in the bill. There’s also talk that the bill might pass through a process called “reconciliation,” which only needs 51 votes, but some senators are worried about whether the HPA fits the rules for that process.

Who’s Leading the Charge?

In the House, Representative Ben Cline from Virginia is leading the HPA (H.R. 404), with 38 other lawmakers backing him. In the Senate, Senator Mike Crapo from Idaho is in charge (S. 364), with 28 senators supporting him, including folks like Jim Risch and Marsha Blackburn. These bills were introduced early in 2025, and they’ve got strong support from gun groups.

What People Are Saying

Gun owners and groups are excited. The ASA says suppressors are just about keeping your hearing safe, not causing trouble. On X, people like @Mrgunsngear

are pushing hard, telling folks to contact senators to make sure the HPA doesn’t get dropped. The National Shooting Sports Foundation says even countries with tough gun laws let people buy suppressors without all the red tape, so the U.S. should too.

What’s Standing in the Way?

Even with this progress, the HPA has some big hurdles:

Senate Votes: Getting enough senators to agree is tough, especially with Democrats opposing it. Some Republicans might also hesitate if they think the bill doesn’t fit the budget rules for reconciliation.

 

Politics: Gun laws are a hot topic. After big shootings in the past, like the 2017 Las Vegas one, the HPA got sidelined because people were nervous about any gun-related laws.

 

State Bans: Even if the HPA passes, eight states (like California and New York) still ban suppressors, so people there wouldn’t benefit unless those bans are challenged in court.

 

History: The HPA has been tried before and failed every time, even when Republicans controlled Congress, so it’s not a sure thing.

What Happens If It Passes?

If the HPA becomes law, buying a suppressor would be as easy as buying a rifle. You’d go to a gun store, pass a quick background check, and walk out with it—no tax, no long waits. This could make suppressors more popular, especially for hunters and shooters who want to protect their ears. It might also help shooting ranges stay open by keeping noise down. But it could spark more arguments about gun laws, especially in states that don’t allow suppressors.

What’s Next?

Right now, the HPA’s fate depends on what the Senate does with H.R. 1. If senators keep the HPA in the bill and it passes, it could head to the president’s desk for a signature. With President Trump supporting gun rights, he’d likely sign it. But if the Senate changes the bill or drops the HPA, it could stall again. Websites like GovTrack.us say there’s only a small chance (about 2%) of the HPA becoming law, but the Republican control of Congress and the White House gives it a better shot than before.

How Can I Help?

Contact your state Senators and insist they include the HPA in the "Big, Beautiful, Bill"! 

If you are a North Carolina resident you can contact our Senators using the following infomation:

Thom Tillis 919-856-4630

Ted Budd 984-349-5061