Senate Passes $0 NFA Tax Stamp 51-50 with J.D. Vance Tie-Break; House Pushes Full Repeal Amid Parliamentarian Dispute and Texas Lawsuit
The U.S. Senate recently passed H.R. 1 with a narrow 51-50 vote, led by Senator J.D. Vance, to reduce the National Firearms Act (NFA) tax stamps for suppressors and short-barreled firearms to zero dollars. This provision, however, only partially addresses gun owners' demands, who are calling for a full repeal of the NFA tax and registration requirements. Gun rights advocates and some Republican lawmakers are urging Senate leadership, including Senator John Thune and Senator J.D. Vance, to overrule the Senate Parliamentarian, who previously ruled that a full repeal of the NFA tax would violate the Byrd Rule. The House of Representatives is considering amendments, such as one proposed by Representative Clyde, to include a complete repeal of the NFA excise tax on suppressors and short-barreled firearms in H.R. 1. Democrats in the House Rules Committee have acknowledged that the language in the House and Senate bills effectively repeals a federal excise tax, contradicting the Parliamentarian's interpretation. Gun rights groups have escalated their efforts by filing a lawsuit in Texas federal court, arguing that all federal gun laws related to suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and other NFA-regulated firearms are unconstitutional following the elimination of taxes on these items in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Supporters of the repeal highlight the removal of the $200 tax stamp as a significant victory for Second Amendment rights and criticize the NFA for failing to enhance public safety.