Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) is reintroducing the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act on Thursday to remove onerous restrictions on short-barreled rifles, shotguns, and other firearms.
The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code if 1986 and remove these firearms from the National Firearms Act (NFA) classification. If passed, it would rescind the extra restrictions and taxes imposed on those who own these weapons.
Sen. Marshall argued that “’Shall not be infringed is crystal clear – and the Biden-era abuses of the Constitutionally protected rights of gun owners across the country need to be undone."
The SHORT Act takes a step toward rolling back nonsensical regulations that the National Firearms Act has placed upon gun owners. I challenge my colleagues in both chambers to pass this legislation and join me in fully restoring and protecting our God-given Second Amendment rights.
Marshall and other lawmakers first introduced the measure in 2023.
Last week GOA announced we were working with Senator Marshall and Representative Clyde on the SHORT Act.👏
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) October 8, 2022
Today, we're breaking down what the SHORT Act does, why we need it, and how it limits the anti-gun agenda of the Biden Administration. pic.twitter.com/3KnaupeoND
The SHORT Act will remove language treating certain types of shotguns as “destructive devices” while doing away with the $5 transfer tax for “any firearm classified as any other weapon.”
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Those who own short-barreled rifles and shotguns would also be shielded from state-level restrictions and taxes. The bill notes that state laws “shall have no force or effect” when it comes to making it more difficult to own these firearms.
Even further, lawful possession under federal law will satisfy any state or local registration requirements, according to the proposed legislation. It mandates that “any person who acquires or possesses such rifle, shotgun, or other weapon … shall be treated as meeting any such registration or licensing requirement.”
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), who partnered with Marshall for this legislation, noted that “The Biden-Harris Administration dangerously weaponized the draconian National Firearms Act to further infringe on Americans’ Second Amendment liberties.”
Yet the American people overwhelmingly rejected the Left’s unconstitutional tactics and backdoor gun control in November. It’s now time for Congress to use this mandate to protect Americans’ unalienable, constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Deregulating SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs is the most effective way to ensure American gun owners are not subjected to unlawful and unnecessary restrictions, taxation, and registration of firearms or pistol braces. I’m proud to partner with Senator Marshall in the fight to defeat this Biden-era rule and safeguard Americans’ Second Amendment freedoms.
The bill has garnered support from several high-profile gun rights organizations. Aidan Johnston, Director of Federal Affairs for Gun Owners of America, characterized it as “a policy change that affects millions of law-abiding gun owners and does nothing to curb rising crime.”
Hunter King, Director of Political Affairs for NAGR, called the bill “a long overdue step toward restoring the rights of Americans, freeing gun owners from the burdensome and outdated regulations of the National Firearms Act.”
“This isn’t a measly reform; it’s a declaration of Second Amendment supremacy and will take a sledgehammer to government overreach,” he added.
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