Josh Waldron (above) is the CEO of SilencerCo. As you’d expect, Mr. Waldron was instrumental in getting the Hearing Protection Act (HPA) introduced into Congress. Speaking with TTAG, the founder of the American Suppressor Association says the Act isn’t a done deal.
The HPA is a very important piece of legislation. It would really change the industry. It would do a lot for our company. We have to focus on getting the momentum, getting it through committee. We have to get 60 votes in the Senate. We have to really activate the grass roots, we have to get the letters in. We have a lot to do.
At the end of the day, we’re not going to make it into the President’s first 100-day agenda. We’re probably not going to make it in the first six months. But I don’t want people to lose hope. I think it’s going to happen, but it’s going to take a lot of heavy lifting, and we really need people’s support.
Earlier this week, the NRA’s shootingillustrated.com looked at the odds of the HPA making it to the President’s desk:
The House version has been referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. Ten Republicans and 7 Democrats make up the current membership, though, it’s particularly good news when coupled with the number of sponsors and the fact the entire voting body of the House has 435 members with 240 of them Republican.
The Senate side, on the other hand, is where firearm owners are getting mixed signals about the certainty of the Hearing Protection Act passage. If enough senators decide more debate is due, they can filibuster and the only way to bring the measure to a vote is called cloture. That requires 60 of the 100 members to vote in favor of legislation being considered—not a simple 51 vote majority if anti-Second Amendment legislators mount the defense.
And if you think that’s a heavy lift, imagine the “debate” over national concealed carry reciprocity . . .
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.