Congressman Hamadeh Takes Aim at Anti-Second Amendment Policies with Support for Suppressors

WASHINGTON, DC - This weekend, Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) joined hundreds of gun enthusiasts and weapons experts at the Ben Avery Shooting Center, in Phoenix, for CANCON. CANCON is the largest fully suppressed range day and gun show event in the country.

While at CANCON, Congressman Hamadeh, a former U.S. Army Reserve Intelligence Officer, learned firsthand about the health and safety value of suppressors and reiterated his pledge to support our Second Amendment rights.

Congressman Hamadeh is working to protect the rights of gun owners and promote hearing safety for Arizona's hunters, recreational shooters, and law enforcement officers by targeting unclear rules and misguided policies through his co-sponsorship of three key pieces of legislation involving suppressors.

Suppressors, often referred to as silencers, are under attack by anti-Second Amendment groups and bureaucrats. However, they are merely firearm accessories designed to improve safety and comfort for hunters, sports shooters, and marksmen. These tools reduce gunfire noise, lessen recoil, and minimize muzzle blast. Despite common misconceptions, suppressors do not render firearms silent.

Under current law, the definition of a silencer has caused confusion and concern among both law-abiding citizens and manufacturers alike. The definition needs to be amended and clarified to avoid mistakenly categorizing individual components as silencers themselves, which would lead to the criminalization of these accessories.

Congressman Hamadeh has signed on in support of Congressman August Pfluger's (TX-11) and Congressman Jared Golden's (ME-02) Protecting Americans' Right to Silence(PARTS) Act to ensure that the rights of American gun owners are protected. This legislation would amend the statutory definitions of firearm silencers and mufflers to eliminate the potential misinterpretation that could lead to the criminalization of these lawful firearm accessories.

Congressman Hamadeh has also signed-on as a co-sponsor of Congressman Ben Cline's (R-VA) Hearing Protection Act(HPA), legislation which should reduce the overly burdensome barriers required to purchase a firearm suppressor to ease access for law-abiding citizens simply trying to obtain the hearing protection they need.

Last but certainly not least, Congressman Hamadeh is co-sponsoring the Silencers Help Us Save Hearing(SHUSH) Act introduced by Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT). The SHUSH Acteliminates excessive regulations around firearm suppressors, reducing bureaucratic hurdles, and ensuring consistent laws nationwide.

"The muzzle may be quiet, but the message is loud: liberty belongs to the people, not the ATF," stated Congressman Hamadeh. "For too long convoluted policies and misguided definitions have caused confusion and concern, putting targets on gun owners in attempts to weaken our Second Amendment rights. Enough is enough. I for one, know that we can never do enough to protect our coveted God-given rights, but we must try."

The Protecting Americans' Right to Silence(PARTS) Act is supported by Silencer Shop, American Suppressor Association, Congressional Sportsman Caucus, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The Hearing Protection Actis supported by the American Suppressor Association (ASA), the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the National Rifle Association (NRA), the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF), and the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA). The Silencers Help Us Save Hearing(SHUSH) Act is supported by the National Association for Gun Rights and Gun Owners of America.