Senate Parliamentarian Blocks Gun Tax Cuts From Trump Budget Bill

President Donald Trump's proposed budget bill, known as the 'big, beautiful bill,' includes a controversial provision aimed at repealing the $200 federal excise tax and registration requirements on certain firearms and accessories such as short-barreled rifles, shotguns, and suppressors. This provision, part of the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act, was blocked by the Senate parliamentarian for violating budget reconciliation rules that prevent bypassing the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Proponents, including GOP lawmakers like Rep. Andrew Clyde and Sen. Roger Marshall, argue that the tax and registration requirements infringe on Second Amendment rights and are outdated, as the $200 tax has remained unchanged since 1934. Critics, including experts like Robert Spitzer, warn that repealing these provisions would dismantle longstanding gun regulations designed to prevent misuse by criminals, noting the historical context of the National Firearms Act as a tool against Prohibition-era gangsters. The tax break on silencers and certain firearms has also raised public safety concerns, with opponents fearing it could hinder law enforcement during violent incidents amid high gun violence rates in the U.S. Lawmakers are currently working to revise the language of the provision to comply with Senate rules while maintaining their goal of expanding gun rights.