1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Help Empower Americans to Respond Act of 2023 or the HEAR Act of 2023 . 2. Definitions Section 921(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (3), by striking (C) any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or (D) and inserting or (C) ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (38) The term qualified law enforcement officer has the meaning given the term in section 926B. . 3. Restrictions on firearm silencers and firearm mufflers (a) In general Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after subsection (u) the following: (v) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), it shall be unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a firearm silencer or firearm muffler. (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to— (A) the importation for, manufacture for, sale to, transfer to, or possession by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State, or a sale or transfer to or possession by a qualified law enforcement officer employed by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off-duty), or a sale or transfer to or possession by a campus law enforcement officer for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off-duty); (B) the importation for, or sale or transfer to a licensee under title I of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 ( 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq. ) for purposes of establishing and maintaining an on-site physical protection system and security organization required by Federal law, or possession by an employee or contractor of such licensee on-site for such purposes or off-site for purposes of licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials