Republican lawmakers push to abolish 'unconstitutional' ATF

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FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are pushing to abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking office later this month.

Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., is unveiling the bill on Tuesday and already has several co-sponsors in Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Mike Collins, R-Ga., Bob Onder, R-Mo., Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Mary Miller, R-Ill., Keith Self, R-Texas, and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.

Burlison argued that the ATF was an "unconstitutional agency" and that its mission and goals are duplicates of existing state and local regulations. 

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"The Constitution makes it very clear that when it comes to the federal government, there shall be no laws restricting firearms," he told Fox News Digital. "It's in the purview of the states, and so I don't think it belongs on the federal level."

"But here's the thing I want to reiterate - they don't have the manpower to enforce the laws that they implement. So they go and they solicit help from every local state law enforcement official to help them implement their stupid new rules."

He said assisting the ATF "takes them out of the things they should be prioritizing to keep the community safe."

Burlison said he has not spoken with members of President-elect Trump's orbit on the bill, but added, "I'm sure there's quite a few people in Trump world that would be open to this."

One possible supporter the bill could find is Vice President-elect JD Vance, who previously called for abolishing the ATF and vowed to fight toward that goal in the Senate.

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The ATF makes federal regulations for firearm handling and storage, gun licenses and other matters. It also assists in law enforcement investigations like the recent New Orleans attack.

The modern iteration of the ATF was formed as a bureau under the Treasury Department in 1972. It was transferred to the Department of Justice in 2003 as a law enforcement agency after laws on gun control and explosives were added to the ATF's purview in the 1990s.

Supporters of the ATF's existence include gun control advocates who argue it does important work to fight gun violence.

However, opponents like Burlison argue its regulations are unnecessary.

ATF Director Steven Dettelbach warned earlier this week that he believes curbing the ATF will result in more unnecessary deaths.

"People who don't think that law enforcement, including ATF, has anything to do with driving down violent crime are just wrong - it didn't happen by accident," he told the New York Times.

"What I am concerned about is that people will take their eye off the ball, that they'll either get complacent or political, or some combination of those things."

The ATF has gotten public blowback for its handling of the infamous standoffs in Ruby Ridge and Waco, Texas, however.

Trump previously promised to fire Dettelbach on his first day in office. He told an audience at a National Rifle Association event that the Biden administration appointee was a "radical gun-grabber."

It is not clear if he would abolish it altogether, however. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Trump and the ATF for comment.