DOJ Targets D.C. Suppressor Ban

The Department of Justice just put the federal government's weight behind a challenge to Washington D.C.'s suppressor ban — and that's not the only suppressor story moving right now.

Driving the news: DOJ amended its position in United States v. District of Columbia to include a direct challenge to D.C.'s suppressor prohibition. The American Suppressor Association, which previously filed similar ban challenges in Illinois and New Jersey, confirmed the development.

The big picture: What was fringe constitutional litigation a few years ago is now a mainstream Second Amendment fight. Gun-rights groups have argued for years that suppressors are commonly owned accessories protected under the Second Amendment and shouldn't face blanket prohibition. Now the federal government is saying something similar — in court, on the record.

That's a different kind of weight.

State of play: May wasn't a one-headline month. Four developments stacked up:

• Federal court, June 18 — First oral arguments in Brown v. ATF are scheduled in the Eastern District of Missouri. The case, backed by ASA, NRA, Second Amendment Foundation, and Firearms Policy Coalition, challenges remaining NFA restrictions after Congress eliminated the $200 transfer tax on suppressors and short-barreled firearms last year.
• ATF reform package — Director Rob Saka signed 34 proposed reforms now in public comment. They cover interstate NFA item transport, joint possession by married couples, old 4473 record retention, and the pistol brace rule.
• Florida tax holiday — Lawmakers are considering the country's first-ever suppressor sales tax exemption, covering September through December if it passes.

The legal question: Brown v. ATF is the one to watch closely. Congress killed the $200 tax, but the NFA's registration and regulatory apparatus is still intact. The case argues that what remains can't survive Bruen's historical tradition test. The June 18 oral arguments will signal how the Eastern District reads that argument.

Yes, but: None of this is resolved. DOJ positions can shift. Court dates produce rulings that go both ways. The Florida tax holiday is still just a proposal. May was a month of movement — not a month of wins.

What's next: Public comments on the ATF reform package are open now. The Brown v. ATF oral arguments land June 18. Watch for Florida's legislature to take a final position on the sales tax holiday before summer recess.