In response to a major constitutional push, the Second Amendment Law Center (2ALC) is spearheading an amicus brief campaign to support lawsuits already filed by Gun Owners of America (GOA), NRA, SAF, and other pro-2A groups, seeking to overturn most of the National Firearms Act’s (NFA) registration requirements. This effort to knock out part of the NFA follows Congress’s recent repeal of the $200 excise tax on silencers, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), shotguns (SBSs), and “any other weapons” (AOWs) under the so‑called One Big, Beautiful Bill. Without that fee being imposed, the NFA has become merely a registration requirement, and possession of these items is banned unless registered. There is no historical tradition justifying such a ban.
Effective July 4, 2025, the One Big, Beautiful Bill abolished the NFA's longstanding tax stamp—widely seen as the legal foundation justifying decades-old registration mandates. Without the tax, the registration requirements lack constitutional justification, says GOA’s pending “One Big Beautiful Lawsuit.”
Rather than serving as a litigant in these lawsuits, 2ALC is coordinating a coalition of Second Amendment organizations to file amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs that will:
Supplement the lawsuits with additional legal, historical, and constitutional arguments.
Preempt government defenses by addressing objections at multiple appellate levels.
Provide courts with expert analysis that the litigants themselves may be limited from presenting due to page limitations and other court rules.
2ALC’s longstanding role in amicus campaigns is well established—its legal team has intervened in cases like Wolford v. Lopez and many others, consistently providing critical legal scholarship to shape judicial outcomes. You can see all of the briefs that 2ALC has produced on our website.
The briefs will advance several key arguments:
The elimination of the tax undercuts the only Supreme Court precedent (Sonzinsky v. U.S., 1937) that upheld the NFA.
Without the tax stamp, registration imposes unconstitutional gun bans and burdens on law‑abiding citizens.
Even after trial court litigation, amicus participation will be crucial at appellate stages—through the circuit courts and potentially the U.S. Supreme Court.
“In the Bruen era, these amicus efforts could make the difference between success and failure,” said Chuck Michel, President and Senior Legal Counsel at 2ALC. “We welcome the opportunity to support our friends and strategic partners in these important efforts.”
Next Steps & What You Can Expect
GOA’s lawsuit is already filed in federal district court (awaiting docket assignment). Lawsuits by other pro-2A groups are forthcoming.
2ALC’s amicus coalition plans to submit briefs soon, timed to coincide with key motions and hearings.
2ALC is already working to round up amicus participants and draft amicus briefs. Support our efforts by donating below…and remember to subscribe for updates!