H.R. 2544: Help Empower Americans to Respond Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-04-14 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-04-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Help Empower Americans to Respond Act of 2021

Plain summary

Help Empower Americans to Respond Act of 2021 or the HEAR Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a firearm silencer or firearm muffler. The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; and importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials. In addition, the bill requires the Department of Justice to establish and implement a buy-back program to purchase firearm silencers and firearm mufflers. States and local governments may use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender firearm silencers and firearm mufflers under this buy-back program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Help Empower Americans to Respond Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] · 17 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), André Carson (D-IN), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Dina Titus (D-NV)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] reported raising $955,740 (2023–2024). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr2544.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr2544 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117