Reps. Lauren Boebert and Eric Burlison are aiming to take down the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Photo credit: Jeffrey Beall, CC4.0 and CC1.0.
Two House Republicans introduced a bill aiming to eliminate the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The proposal places the US Justice Department agency among several federal entities the GOP is scrutinizing as part of its commitment to reorganize and reduce the size of the government.
In a press release, Republican representatives Eric Burlison of Missouri and Lauren Boebert of Colorado announced their initiative to abolish ATF, stating that “ATF's history is a damning chronicle of overreach, incompetence, and tragedy. From its unconstitutional rulings on pistol braces to targeting gun store owners with vague compliance demands, the agency has betrayed the American public’s trust time and again.”
“The ATF is emblematic of the deep-state bureaucracy that believes it can infringe on constitutional liberties without consequence,” said Burlison. “If this agency cannot uphold its duty to serve the people within the framework of the Constitution, it has no place in our government.”
“I cannot imagine under any circumstance or administration where the ATF serves as an ally to the Second Amendment and law-abiding firearm owners across America,” Boebert added.
The legislation has attracted support from a number of Republican lawmakers who have raised similar issues regarding the ATF’s actions and their implications for constitutional rights. The House of Representatives is currently evaluating the proposal.