Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and Tim Sheehy have introduced a new bill aimed at addressing concerns over federal regulations related to firearm suppressors. The legislation, named the Protecting Americans’ Right to Silence (PARTS) Act, seeks to reduce what the senators describe as excessive government intervention by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

The bill is designed to modernize outdated regulations concerning firearm suppressors. According to the senators, these changes will provide clearer guidelines for manufacturers, retailers, and gun owners.

Cassidy and Sheehy are joined in this legislative effort by Senators Steve Daines, Mike Lee, Pete Ricketts, Ted Budd, Jim Justice, and John Cornyn.

A key issue addressed by the PARTS Act is the ATF's current definition of "silencer" under the Gun Control Act. The senators argue that this definition allows for individual silencer components to be classified as regulated silencers. This classification could lead to unnecessary restrictions on gun owners and manufacturers.

"In 2023," according to the press release from Senator Cassidy's office, "the ATF issued guidance suggesting that even simple, unassembled parts could be considered regulated silencers—an overreach that threatens Second Amendment rights and stifles industry innovation."

The proposed legislation aims to clarify that a silencer should refer only to a complete device or a single principal component rather than an assortment of parts used in its construction. Additionally, it would streamline processes for purchasing consumable silencer parts without requiring additional paperwork from the ATF.

Support for the PARTS Act comes from several organizations including Silencer Shop, American Suppressor Association, National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, and Firearm Regulatory Accountability Coalition.