A bill sponsored by Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz would abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The short measure’s wording states simply, “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is hereby dissolved.”
Gaetz reportedly stated that “House Republicans have the ATF in our crosshairs. My bill today would permanently abolish the ATF.”
Even if House Republicans united behind the concept of abolishing the ATF, the GOP lacks control of the Senate, and President Joe Biden would almost definitely veto the legislation if it ever made it to his desk. As a result, the proposal has little chance of becoming law.
According to Fox News Digital, Gaetz stated that “the ATF’s ongoing existence is increasingly unnecessary based on the steps they’re doing to turn otherwise law-abiding citizens into felons. The ATF would be eliminated under my measure. We’re going to attempt defunding the ATF if that doesn’t work. If that doesn’t work, we’ll focus on the specific ATF officials at the top who have gone beyond their scope when it comes to rulemaking. If that doesn’t work, we’ll use a butcher cleaver to attack the laws that the ATF claims widely permit its operations.”
Gaetz, a representative representing Florida in the U.S. House since 2017, was among the Republicans in the House who consistently voted against Kevin McCarthy earlier this month as the California Republican ran for speaker of the House. Gaetz voted to oppose McCarthy for 13 rounds before switching his vote to present during the final two. As a result of Gaetz’s and other Republican lawmakers’ present votes on the 15th round of voting, McCarthy’s speakership was secured.
