The Hearing Protection Act has successfully passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, marking a significant shift in the regulatory landscape for firearm silencers. Spearheaded by Representative Cline and backed by a coalition of co-sponsors, the bill proposes to remove silencers from the definition of firearms under the Internal Revenue Code. The core aim of the legislation is to amend Section 5845, altering how silencers are classified and managed under federal law. By not considering them as firearms anymore, the act simplifies silencers' regulatory framework. Specifically, it looks to ease the purchasing process and reduce the bureaucratic hurdles related to registration and licensing under the National Firearms Act. Following its enactment, the bill will preempt state laws imposing additional taxes or registration requirements on the transfer, possession, or use of silencers, except for general sales tax. Importantly, it mandates the destruction of all current silencer registration records within a year of its enactment. The bill also brings forth specific changes to the U.S. Code, detailing the construction and markings of silencers to better define them as devices meant to reduce firearm noise. It also includes a provision for a 10% tax to be levied on silencers, bringing it in line with taxes on similar products, effective in the calendar quarter following 90 days post-enactment. Stakeholders from both the firearms industry and state legislative bodies are watching closely to see how these changes could affect broader gun rights and regulations across the United States.