HR 367 : Deadly Silence Act/Hearing Protection Act
Position: Oppose Status: Died in a previous Congress
Currently, firearm silencers (called suppressor by the industry) are regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA) which also regulates the sale and possession of automatic rifles. (Yes, people still own fully automatic rifles even though they are heavily regulated.)
The Deadly Silence Act will allow gunfire suppressors to be deregulated and be sold to the public without regard to the dangers posed by silencers.
The Boston Globe reported on July 16, 2017, that "the National Hearing Conservation Association recently declared that silencers provide inadequate protection against hearing loss — recommending ear plugs or other protection even when silencers are in use." (http://bit.ly/2v7KXvt)
History on HR 367 from the American Suppressor Association: "In 2011, the American Suppressor Association formed with one primary goal in mind: remove suppressors from the purview of the National Firearms Act. For years, we have quietly worked behind the scenes in Washington, D.C. to set the stage for [the] Hearing Protection Act..." http://americansuppressorassociation.com/hearing-protection-act/
From The Boston Globe:
"Lifting the restrictions on sales, says Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at the State University of New York at Cortland and author of five books on gun policy, is really about boosting the fortunes of the gun industry.
'A lot of money is made in the gun industry from accessories,' he says. 'This is especially true of the popular AR-15-like weapons — assault-type weapons — which are sometimes referred to as ‘Barbie dolls for men.’
"The sound of gunfire, Spitzer says, is actually an important safety feature. Joggers running in the woods or pedestrians walking city streets should be able to hear gunshots clearly so they can avoid danger."
The American Suppressor Association (ASA) claims they only want to protect the hearing of gun enthusiasts. (Ceasefire Oregon suggests ear muffs which are inexpensive and effective.) The ASA professes to be concerned about the "tender ears of young shooters." Too bad they are not concerned about the tender bodies of young gunshot victims.
Update
Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon rescinded his support of HR 367 after the October 1, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas that left 59 dead and 851 injured (422 by gunfire). We were disappointed by his support of this bill and applaud his action to rescind his support. A proposed federal law, HR 367, the so-called Hearing Protection Act, would deregulate firearm silencers. Silencers muffle the loud noise of gunshots, thus delaying critical time before police are called. The bill currently has 166 cosponsors. (163 R, 3 D) The remaining three Democratic cosponsors are: Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7], cosponsored on 04/14/2017 Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28], cosponsored on 03/16/2017 Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29], original sponsor. Call your legislators NOW and tell them to vote NO on HR 367, the Deadly Silence Act. HR 367 has three companion bills: S 59, HR 3139, and S 1505 (the SHUSH Act)
The ASA cares about legal tender, not tender hearing.
Read more about the dangers of silencers at Violence Policy Center.
HR 367 makes money for the American Suppressor Association but Americans pay the cost with the lives of our loved ones.
Cleveland Elementary School (Stockton, CA) shooting, January 17, 1989. Vietnam War veteran hears the AK 47 open fire and calls to alert the school:
How it sounded at first depended on where you were at approximately 11:45 a.m. Many of the kids on the playground or field thought they heard firecrackers. From her classroom, a fourth-grade teacher mistook it for a drum tap. A 911 caller who announced himself as a Vietnam War veteran declared it was fire from an AK-47 rifle. The dispatcher summoned her supervisor. “Listen to this,” she told him before replaying a tape recording of the call. They couldn’t hear the sound in question but were struck instead by the caller’s certitude. “You could tell from his voice that he was dead serious,” recalls Ken Uehling, who oversaw the Stockton fire and medical dispatch center on the morning of Jan. 17. “This was not a prank. He knew what he knew.”
From “Trigger Effect,” S.T. Vanairsdale, SacTown Magazine, emphasis added.
Find your legislator here, then CALL! Tell her/him to vote NO HR 367.
We have a handy list of phone numbers for Oregon legislators below.
Not in Oregon? Find your legislators here. Tell them to vote NO on HR 367.
Oregon Federal Legislators:
Senator Ron Wyden: (503) 326-7525
Senator Jeff Merkley: (503) 326-3386
Cong. Suzanne Bonamici: (503) 469-6010
Cong. Greg Walden: (541) 389-4408
Cong. Earl Blumenauer: (503) 231-2300
Cong. Peter DeFazio: (541) 465-6732
Cong. Kurt Schrader: (503) 557-1324