Gun Safety Organizations Call on Senate Committee on Appropriations to Provide Full Funding to ATF

WASHINGTON - Today, Everytown for Gun Safety joined GIFFORDS, Brady, and the Center for American Progress in calling on the Senate Committee on Appropriations to provide full funding to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

Last week, the House Committee on Appropriations advanced their Fiscal Year 2025 funding legislation for the Department of Justice - which includes nearly $200 million in cuts to ATF. These cuts would impact ATF's efforts to stop firearm traffickers, straw purchasers, and unlicensed sellers. It would also inhibit ATF's tracing capabilities, which are critical in aiding law enforcement investigations. For example, ATF was able to trace the DPMS AR-15 style rifle that was used in the shooting at the campaign rally for Donald Trump in less than 30 minutes, helping law enforcement quickly identify the would-be assassin. Cuts to ATF risk delaying timely traces in these investigations. The legislation also eliminates funding for life-saving community violence intervention and prevention programs, and contains riders that will make it more difficult to prevent, investigate, and respond to gun violence and gun crimes.

In another attack on ATF, gun extremists in Congress are also attempting to overturn ATF's recently finalized rule to help close loopholes that have allowed unlicensed gun sellers to sell guns without a background check. With more licensed dealers, the rule limits the number of marketplaces where prohibited persons, like convicted felons and domestic abusers, can purchase firearms without a background check, and help law enforcement investigate and solve gun crimes.

"Gun extremists in Congress are hellbent on defunding one of our nation's leading law enforcement agencies, a move that would put our communities and law enforcement at greater risk," said Monisha Henley, SVP of Government Affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety. "Guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens in America - but extremists want to make it easier for anyone to purchase a firearm and harder for federal agencies to intervene and investigate. We urge Senate appropriators to listen to the clear majority of Americans who are demanding common-sense solutions to gun violence and provide full funding for ATF."

"The ATF plays a critical role in addressing crime and gun violence. Yet, time and again, it has been underfunded by Congress and hampered by harmful appropriations riders," said Vanessa Gonzalez, VP of Government and Political Affairs at GIFFORDS. "More than 44,000 people in this country die from gun violence each year, and tens of thousands more survive gunshot injuries with lasting physical, emotional, and psychological scars. The Republican efforts to defund ATF's lifesaving work are disgraceful. This is another example of how gun extremists in Congress value gun industry profits over human life. We urge members of Congress to come together and demand more funding for ATF."

"As gun violence continues to devastate communities across the country, it is essential that Congress fully funds the ATF to ensure we are maximizing efforts to protect public safety," said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy at Brady. "ATF's personnel and resources are critical to disrupting firearm trafficking channels, stopping straw purchasers, and holding bad actors in the firearm supply chain accountable. Congress must empower ATF to succeed, not cripple its capabilities through dangerous budget cuts that would compromise its effectiveness."

"Everyone deserves to feel safe where they live, but efforts by far-right extremists in Congress to weaken ATF threatens the safety of communities and families across the country," said Nick Wilson, Senior Director of Gun Violence Prevention at Center for American Progress. "ATF is a vital partner to local police departments and plays a critical role in the investigation and prevention of violent crime. Despite the importance of its mission, ATF has been consistently underfunded. Senate appropriators have the opportunity to give ATF the necessary resources to prevent gun violence and hold people who commit violence accountable."

You can read the full letter here.

Impacts of Funding Cuts to ATF

• The proposed cuts would make it more difficult to detect and dismantle firearm trafficking channels that cross state lines and international borders, including the channels that allow .50-caliber rifles that can pierce armor, vehicles, and helicopters to be trafficked to cartels in Mexico who use them to facilitate the illegal drug trade and in organized crime.
  • ATF conducted 7,779 trafficking investigations in which nearly 230,000 firearms were trafficked between 2017 and 2021. Georgia and Arizona accounted for the largest percentage of cases involving interstate trafficking, and Mexico was identified as the "most prevalent market country" involving international trafficking.

• The proposed cuts would make it more difficult to stop straw purchasers and unlicensed gun sellers alike from funneling firearms to prohibited persons like convicted felons and domestic abusers who cannot pass a background check.
  • Pursuant to the new federal criminal statutes created in the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, as of June 25, 2024, more than 520 defendants have been charged with straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. In addition, between Fiscal Year 2021 and Fiscal Year 2023, there has been a 60% increase in the number of defendants charged with engaging in the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms without a license.

• The proposed cuts would make it more difficult to regulate products like untraceable ghost guns that continue to turn up at crime scenes and arm braces that turn pistols into the same kind of assault weapons that have been used in numerous high-profile mass shootings.
  • The number of suspected ghost guns that law enforcement recovered and submitted to ATF for tracing increased from 1,629 in 2017 to 19,273 in 2021-more than 1000%. In 2022, law enforcement recovered 25,785.

• The proposed cuts would make it more difficult to engage in rigorous oversight, including conducting dealer inspections and holding bad actors up and down the firearm supply chain accountable.
  • In Fiscal Year 2021, there were 729 active Industry Operations Investigators to oversee nearly 131,000 Federal Firearms Licensees. These investigators only conducted 6,660 compliance inspections in Fiscal Year 2021. At current inspection rates, FFLs can expect to be inspected less than once per decade.

To speak with an Everytown expert, please contact [email protected].

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