Democrats Introduce Ban on Sale, Possession of Gun Silencers

Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation to ban the sale and possession of firearm suppressors, known as silencers.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N. J.) and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) said that the 2021 Help Empower Americans to Respond (HEAR) Act, would ban the sale, importation, manufacturing, and possession of silencers. The bill was first introduced in 2019 after a mass shooting in Virginia Beach that left 12 dead.

The measure will also create a silencer buyback program, give Americans a 90-day period after the bill becomes law, and it would provide exceptions for law enforcement and other personnel.

“Gun silencers are dangerous devices with one purpose and one purpose only—to muffle the sound of gunfire from unsuspecting victims,” Menendez said in a Thursday statement. “The sound of gunshots is what signals you to run, hide, take cover, call the police and help others save themselves; however, this is nearly impossible when a gun silencer is used.”

Describing the bill as “commonsense legislation,” the New Jersey Democrat said it will “prevent armed assailants from using these deadly devices to make it easier to shoot and kill another person.”

Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N. J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) are co-sponsors of the legislation.

Gun rights group Gun Owners of America said the measure shows the lawmakers have... (Read more)

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