It traces crime guns for police departments nationwide, licenses about 130,000 federal firearms dealers, and investigates bombings and arson. Its alcohol and tobacco jurisdiction is now mostly tax and trade enforcement.
Open the interactive page for ATF →Created byadministratively within Treasury by Treasury Department Order No. 221, eff. July 1, 1972; transferred to DOJ and statutorily established by Homeland Security Act of 2002, § 1111 (Pub. L. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2274); recodified from 6 U.S.C. § 531 to Title 28 by Pub. L. 109-162, § 1187(b), (c)(1) (Jan. 5, 2006)
Head appointed28 U.S.C. § 599A(a)(2): "There shall be at the head of the Bureau a Director" who "shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate" — PAS requirement added by Pub. L. 109-177, § 504 (2006); before that the AG appointed. No fixed term (PAS)
Removal standardno statutory protection — at will
Funded underCommerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (ATF appropriated in DOJ title since FY2003 transfer; alcohol/tobacco tax collection stayed at Treasury TTB)
Congressional oversightHouse Committee on the Judiciary · Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Inspector generalDOJ OIG (PAS IG under IG Act, 5 U.S.C. § 403(a))
Judicial reviewde novo district-court review of federal firearms license denials/revocations — aggrieved licensee files petition within 60 days, court may receive new evidence, 18 U.S.C. § 923(f)(3); APA review of rules; Tiahrt appropriations riders bar FOIA release of firearms trace data (recurring CJS riders, made permanent in Pub. L. 112-55)
Comment on proposed ATF rules at regulations.gov; challenge a final rule in federal court; vote for the Senate, which confirms the Director.