Federal Judge Rules Against National Firearms Act Regulations, Citing Tax Rationale Obsolescence
A federal judge in Texas has ruled against certain regulations under the National Firearms Act (NFA), stating that their original tax rationale is no longer applicable. The decision came after Congress eliminated federal taxes on making and transferring sound suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and shotguns in 2025. U.S. District Judge James Hendrix concluded that without the tax component, the regulations exceed Congress's enumerated powers. The ruling affects consolidated lawsuits involving gun owners, businesses, and gun rights groups, and it challenges the constitutional basis of the NFA's regulatory provisions.