Biden Budget Would Grow ATF 50% Larger Than Obama Administration

By Alex Madajian

Biden Budget Would Grow ATF 50% Larger Than Obama Administration
On March 9th, 2023, President Biden put forward his budget proposal for fiscal year 2024, which includes over $1,900,000,000 for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).[i] That’s a 13.6% increase over the 2023 budget.[ii] ATF’s budget to enforce unconstitutional gun laws was “only” $1,258,600,000 in FY 2017,[iii] when President Trump took office, and $1,400,000,000 in 2020, before President Biden took office.[iv] This means that if Congress passes this budget, the ATF would have grown 35.7% larger during the Biden presidency and 50.9% larger since the Obama Administration. These funds and an expanded ATF will be used to continue President Biden’s war against American gun owners and the firearm industry.
For too long, ATF has abused its authority to persecute otherwise law-abiding gun owners who have committed non-violent offenses—such as having a barrel that is too short. ATF’s abuse of gun rights must stop. Instead of increasing its funding and power to “nearly $2 billion,”[v] Congress should cut ATF funding to pre-Biden Administration levels or lower. Additionally, ATF should be made to exclusively focus on alcohol, tobacco, and explosives crimes and only be allowed to enforce firearms-related laws against violent

Source: Gun Owners of America