Overview

• Representative Lauren Boebert has introduced H.R. 129, a bill to eliminate the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
• The ATF, established in 1972, enforces federal firearm regulations and investigates crimes such as bombings, arsons, and weapons trafficking.
• Boebert and other Republican lawmakers argue the ATF has overstepped its authority, citing controversies like Operation Fast and Furious and regulatory actions on firearm accessories.
• The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but analysts estimate a low likelihood of it advancing or being enacted despite Republican control of the government.
• Gun rights advocates have long criticized the ATF, while the agency's defenders argue its work is critical to reducing violent crime and ensuring public safety.