Republicans Push for Gun Tax Cut in Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Inside President Trump’s ambitious “big, beautiful bill,” Republicans are pushing to abolish the $200 federal excise tax and registration requirement on certain firearms and accessories, a move aimed at restoring Second Amendment rights, even as Senate Democrats prepare to block such provisions in a legislative showdown they cheekily dub the “root canal” of policy fights.
Gun Tax Rollback Quick Look
- Key Provision: Trump’s bill proposes removing short-barrel rifles, shotguns, and suppressors from the National Firearms Act.
- Tax Relief: Would eliminate the $200 federal tax and registration requirement for affected firearms.
- Legislative Route: Change embedded in the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act.
- GOP Support: Backed by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA).
- Democratic Pushback: Senate Democrats plan to strip the measure via the Byrd Rule compliance process.
- Legal Background: The NFA’s excise tax has been upheld by the courts, including in the 2022 Bruen decision.
- Tactical Advantage: Republicans using budget reconciliation to avoid a 60-vote threshold.
- Political Tensions: Democrats call it an ideological trophy disguised as a fiscal policy.
Deep Look: Republicans Push to Slash Gun Taxes in Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’
In President Donald Trump’s sweeping legislative initiative dubbed the “big, beautiful bill,” Republicans are advancing a bold proposal to roll back longstanding gun regulations — a move that could dramatically reshape federal firearms policy. At the heart of this push is the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act, which seeks to remove short-barrel rifles, shotguns, and firearm suppressors from the jurisdiction of the National Firearms Act (NFA).
The proposed change would eliminate a $200 federal tax and the mandatory registration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), effectively deregulating a subset of firearms that have been controlled since the 1930s.
What’s on the Table?
A provision hidden within the Senate Finance Committee draft — originating from the SHORT Act (Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today) — seeks to remove short-barrel rifles, short-barrel shotguns, and suppressors from coverage under the National Firearms Act (NFA). If passed, these items would no longer require:
- A $200 NFA tax
- Federal registration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Who’s Leading the Charge?
- Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) are the SHORT Act’s prime sponsors.
- Marshall described the gun tax repeal as something that makes Trump’s megabill “even more beautiful.”
- Clyde stated, “We’ll restore our Second Amendment rights,” emphasizing constitutional principle.
Legal Backdrop
- The NFA, first upheld as constitutional in the 1930s, includes an excise tax element.
- The 2022 Bruen Supreme Court decision reaffirmed the overall firearm regulation framework.
- Marshall argues the reconciliation process — requiring only 51 votes — offers the only realistic path for codifying these changes. “I don’t see any other way to make this actually happen,” he admitted.
Democratic Resistance
- Democrats plan to apply a Byrd Bath — a detailed compliance review under the Byrd Rule — to excise ideological policy like the gun deregulatory component.
- Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, promised a thorough review.
- He likened the process to a “prolonged root canal,” joking that his team would spend the next week dissecting hidden provisions.
- Wyden accused Republicans of “trying to convince the parliamentarian” that ideological changes are merely budgetary.
Stakes and Strategy
- Republicans are relying on budget reconciliation — which bypasses the need for 60 votes — to enact the gun tax rollback.
- Democrats are signaling they will use the Byrd Rule to strip out what they see as ideological policy rather than legitimate fiscal measures.
- With both sides digging in, the fate of the gun provision may ultimately come down to detailed rule interpretation and whether the provision is deemed to impact the federal budget or just ideological preferences.
Bottom Line
Republicans view the gun-tax repeal as a constitutional victory that complements Trump’s broader legislative package, believing reconciliation offers a last real opportunity. Democrats, meanwhile, are preparing an aggressive procedural defense, promising to root out rhetoric disguised as budget measures.
Will the controversial gun reform survive the legislative “root canal”? That’s what the next week in the Senate is about.
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