The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (abbreviated ATF, sometimes BATF or BATFE) is a United States federal agency; more specifically a specialized law enforcement and regulatory organization within the United States Department of Justice.^[1] Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevention of federal offenses involving the unlawful use, manufacture, and possession of firearms and explosives, acts of arson and bombings, and illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products. The ATF also regulates via licensing the sale, possession, and transportation of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in interstate commerce. Many of ATF's activities are carried out in conjunction with task forces made up of state and local law enforcement officers, such as Project Safe Neighborhoods. ATF operates a one-of-a-kind fire research laboratory in Ammendale, Maryland, where full-scale mock-ups of criminal arsons can be reconstructed. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Michael Sullivan is the current United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. ... // Legal Topics Primary Organizations Liberty Belles Prominent individuals Advocates of firearms Gary Kleck Charlton Heston Wayne LaPierre John Lott Ted Nugent Advocates of firearms control Darrell Scotts Congressoinal Speech Michael D. Barnes Michael Bellesiles James Brady Sarah Brady Tom Diaz Arthur Kellermann Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine) Josh Sugarmann... The Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) was a subtitle of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a federal law of the United States that included a prohibition on the sale to civilians of certain semi-automatic assault weapons manufactured after the date of the bans... The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993, Pub. ... “Gun license” redirects here. ... Firearm case law decisions are numerous in the history of the United States. ... The Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) is a United States federal law that revised many statutes in the Gun Control Act of 1968. ... The Gun Control Act of 1968, Pub. ... Many US states have legislated gun (firearm) laws, independent of existing federal firearms laws. ... In the United States of America, the protection against infringement of the right to bear arms is addressed in the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. ... Gun Politics, the political aspects of gun control and firearms rights, has long been among the most controversial and intractable issues in American politics. ... The National Firearms Act (NFA), cited as the Act of June 26, 1934, Ch. ... The Bill of Rights in the National Archives Amendment II (the Second Amendment) of the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, declares a well regulated militia as being necessary to the security of a free State, and prohibits infringement of the right of the people... A straw purchase is any purchase where the buyer is not eligible to own the purchased item according to the law and therefore purchases the item through a proxy buyer. ... The Sullivan Act, also known as the Sullivan Law, is a controversial gun control law in New York State. ... The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (1994) is a piece of legislation, sponsored by Rep. ... Federal Agency may refer to: United States Federal Agencies Federal agency (Germany) ... The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. “Justice Department” redirects here. ... Firearms redirects here. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ... The Skyline Parkway Motel in Afton, Virginia after an arson fire on July 9, 2004. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N...

The agency is led by Michael J. Sullivan, Acting Director^[2] and Ronnie A. Carter, Deputy Director^[3]. ATF has fewer than 5,000 employees and a budget of almost $1 billion.^[4] Michael Sullivan is the current United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. ...

Organizational history

The ATF was formerly part of the United States Department of the Treasury, having been formed in 1886 as the "Revenue Laboratory" within the Treasury Department's Bureau of Internal Revenue. The history of ATF can be subsequently traced to the time of the revenuers or "revenoors"^[5] and the Bureau of Prohibition, which was formed as a unit of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in 1920, was made an independent agency within the Treasury Department in 1927, was transferred to the Justice Department in 1930, and became, briefly, a subordinate division of the FBI in 1933. The U.S. Treasury building today. ... The Bureau of Prohibition (or Prohibition Unit) was the federal law enforcement agency formed to enforce the National Prohibition Act of 1919, commonly known as the Volstead Act, which backed up the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution regarding the prohibition of the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic... F.B.I. and FBI redirect here. ...

When the Volstead Act was repealed in December 1933, the Unit was transferred from the Department of Justice back to the Department of the Treasury where it became the Alcohol Tax Unit of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Special Agent Eliot Ness and several members of "Untouchables", who had worked for the Prohibition Bureau while the Volstead Act was still in force, were transferred to the ATU. In 1942, responsibility for enforcing federal firearms laws was given to the ATU. A repeal is the removal or reversal of a law. ... Eliot Ness Eliot P. Ness (April 19, 1903 – May 16, 1957) was an American Prohibition agent, famous for his efforts to enforce Prohibition in Chicago, Illinois as the leader of a legendary team nicknamed The Untouchables. ... Led by Eliot Ness, the original group of Untouchables sought to enforce Prohibition and take down Al Capone. ... The Volstead Act is the popular name for the National Prohibition Act (1919). ...

In the early 1950s, the name of the Bureau of Internal Revenue was changed to "Internal Revenue Service" (IRS),^[6] and the ATU was given the additional responsibility of enforcing federal tobacco tax laws. At this time, the name of the ATU was changed to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division (ATTD). Seal of the Internal Revenue Service Tax rates around the world Tax revenue as % of GDP Part of the Taxation series        IRS redirects here. ...

In 1968, with the passage of the Gun Control Act, the agency changed its name again, this time to the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Division of the IRS and first began to be referred to by the initials "ATF." In 1972, President Richard Nixon signed an Executive Order creating a separate Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms within the Treasury Department. The Gun Control Act of 1968, Pub. ... An executive order is an edict issued by a member of the executive branch of a government, usually the head of that branch. ...

In the wake of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law the Homeland Security Act of 2002. In addition to creating of the Department of Homeland Security, the law shifted ATF (and its investigative and regulatory inspection functions) from the Treasury Department to the Justice Department. The agency's name was changed to "Besiege, Assault, Tear gas, Firebomb and Execute" in recognition of the agency's role in nipping civil action questioning the US federal government's actions in the bud. However, the agency still was referred to as the "ATF" for all purposes. Additionally, task of collection of federal tax revenue derived from the production of tobacco and liquor products originally handled by ATF was transferred to the newly established Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which remained within the Treasury Department. These changes took effect January 24, 2003. A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... For other uses, see World Trade Center (disambiguation). ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... The Homeland Security Act (HSA) of 2002, Pub. ... The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a Cabinet department of the federal government of the United States that is concerned with protecting the American homeland and the safety of American citizens. ... The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, shortened to Tax and Trade Bureau or TTB, is a part of the United States Department of the Treasury. ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Regulation of firearms

ATF is responsible for regulating firearm commerce in the United States. The Bureau issues Federal Firearms Licenses (FFL) to sellers, and conducts firearms licensee inspections. The Bureau is also involved in programs aimed at reducing gun violence in the United States, by targeting firearm law violators. ATF was also involved with the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative, which expanded tracing of firearms recovered by law enforcement, and the ongoing Comprehensive Crime Gun Tracing Initiative.^[7] ATF also provides support to state and local investigators, through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program. Firearms redirects here. ... “Gun license” redirects here. ... 1901 assassination of President William McKinley by Leon Czolgosz, using a concealed revolver, at the Pan-American Exposition reception in Buffalo, New York. ... Firearm case law decisions are numerous in the history of the United States. ... The Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative (YCGII) was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) during the late-1990s. ... For the band, see The Police. ...

Regulation of Explosives

With the passage of the Organized Crime Control Act (OCCA) in 1970, ATF took over the regulation of explosives in the United States, as well as prosecution of persons engaged in criminal acts involving explosives. One of the most notable investigations successfully conducted by ATF agents was the tracing of the car used in the first bombing of the World Trade center in 1993, which led to the arrest of persons involved in the conspiracy.

Criticism

ATF during the 1990s

Two incidents in the early 1990s brought criticism to the agency, as well as to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), specifically the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team and the U.S. Marshals. F.B.I. and FBI redirect here. ... The Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) is the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations Counter-Terrorism tactical unit. ... “U.S. Marshals” redirects here. ...

The first incident occurred on August 21, 1992, in northern Idaho and is known as the Ruby Ridge incident. Federal agents seeking to arrest Randy Weaver for failing to appear in court to answer charges relating to possession of an illegally shortened sawed-off shotgun, shot and killed his wife, Vicki Weaver. The incident has become a lightning rod for legal activists within the gun rights community. is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Official language(s) English [1] Capital Boise Largest city Boise Largest metro area Boise metropolitan area Area  Ranked 14th  - Total 83,642 sq mi (216,632 km²)  - Width 305 miles (491 km)  - Length 479 miles (771 km)  - % water 0. ... Ruby Ridge refers to a violent confrontation and siege involving Randy Weaver, his family, Weavers friend Kevin Harris, federal agents from the United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

The second incident was the Waco Siege of the Branch Davidian community in Waco, Texas from February 28, 1993 until April 19, 1993. The ATF attempted to execute a search warrant at a ranch owned by the Branch Davidians. An exchange of gunfire resulted in the deaths of four agents and six Davidians. A subsequent 51-day siege by the Federal Bureau of Investigation ended on April 19 when the complex was destroyed by fire after ATF, FBI and state police in a combined effort had stormed the building in which the Davidians had sought refuge, deploying snipers, Bradley tanks, tear gas and SWATs. Seventy-nine people, including 21 children and Davidian leader David Koresh, died in the incident. Although a grand jury found that the deaths were suicides or otherwise caused by people inside the building, widespread accusations of excessive force by law enforcement persist.^[8] Combatants ATF, FBI, U.S. Army Branch Davidians Commanders Assault: Phil Chojnacki Siege: Many David Koresh† Strength Assault: 75 ATF agents Siege: Hundreds of federal agents and soldiers 50+ men, 75+ women and children Casualties 4 dead, 21 wounded in assault 6 dead and 3+ wounded in assault, 79 dead... The Branch Davidians are a religious sect which originated from a schism in 1955 from the Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, themselves former members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who were disfellowshipped during the 1930s. ... For the Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Texas, see Waco Siege. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 109th day of the year (110th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... F.B.I. and FBI redirect here. ... is the 109th day of the year (110th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... David Koresh (August 17, 1959 – April 19, 1993), (born Vernon Wayne Howell), was the leader of the Branch Davidians religious sect, believing himself to be the final prophet, until a 1993 raid by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and subsequent siege by the FBI ended...

References

External links

• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives website
• ATF Regulations (Search ATF Regulations)
• Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, And Explosives Bureau Meeting Notices and Rule Changes from The Federal Register RSS Feed

v • d • e Agencies under the United States Department of Justice

Attorney General Deputy Attorney General Justice Management Division • Criminal Division • National Security Division • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives • Drug Enforcement Administration • Federal Bureau of Investigation • Federal Bureau of Prisons • National Institute of Corrections • United States Marshals Service • Executive Office for Immigration Review • Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management • Office of the Federal Detention Trustee • Office of Intelligence Policy and Review • Office of the Pardon Attorney • Office of Professional Responsibility • Office on Sexual Violence and Crimes against Children • Office of Tribal Justice • Professional Responsibility Advisory Office • United States Attorneys • United States Trustee Program • INTERPOL, U.S. National Central Bureau • National Drug Intelligence Center • United States Parole Commission • Office of Legal Counsel Associate Attorney General Office of Justice Programs • Office of Dispute Resolution • Office on Violence Against Women • Community Oriented Policing Services • Office of Information and Privacy • Foreign Claims Settlement Commission • Antitrust Division • Civil Division • Civil Rights Division • Environment and Natural Resources Division • Tax Division • Community Relations Service • Office of Legal Policy Solicitor General The Federal Register contains most routine publications and public notices of United States government agencies. ... The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, shortened to Tax and Trade Bureau or TTB, is a part of the United States Department of the Treasury. ... The Federal Alcohol Administration was a United States government agency created in 1935 (as part of the Department of the Treasury) by the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, title 27 chapter 8 of the United States Code. ... The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is an independent adjudicatory body of the District of Columbia. ... The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (or ABC) is an agency of the government of the state of California charged with regulation of alcoholic beverages. ... The Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division (or Division of Liquor/Tobacco Enforcement) is a division of the Colorado Department of Revenue, an agency charged with the regulation of alcoholic beverages within the state of Colorado. ... The Delaware Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (DATE) is an agency of the State of Delaware and is a division of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS). ... The Idaho State Liquor Dispensary is an agency of the government of the state of Idaho that maintains a monopoly on the sale of all alcoholic beverages that exceed 16% alcohol by volume. ... The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division is the alcoholic beverage control authority for the U.S. state of Iowa. ... The Kentucky Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Kentucky, within the states Department of Public Protection and Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet. ... The New Hampshire Liquor Commission regulates, and maintains a monopoly on the sale of, alcoholic beverages in the state of New Hampshire. ... The New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (Division of ABC or, simply, ABC) is an agency of the government of the state of New Jersey that regulates commerce in alcoholic beverages in that state. ... The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission is an agency of the government of North Carolina within the states Department of Commerce. ... The Division of Liquor Control, part of the Ohio Department of Commerce, controls alcohol manufacturing, distribution and sales within the U.S. state of Ohio. ... The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) is an agency of the U.S. state of Oregon. ... The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) is an independent government agency that manages the beverage alcohol industry in Pennsylvania. ... The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC, formerly the Texas Liquor Control Board) was created in 1935. ... The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Utah. ... The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) is a state public safety agency providing control, service, revenue and a wide range of services to residents and localities throughout the Commonwealth. ... The Washington State Liquor Control Board is an agency of the state of Washington that regulates, and maintains a monopoly on the sale of, alcoholic beverages in the state. ... The West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (or ABCA) is the alcoholic beverage control authority in the U.S. state of West Virginia. ... The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is an independent adjudicatory body of the District of Columbia. ... The Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control maintains a monopoly on the sale of certain alcoholic beverages in Montgomery County, Maryland. ... Map of Alcoholic Beverage Control States, current as of February 2006. ... The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. “Justice Department” redirects here. ... Seal of the United States Department of Justice The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice (see 28 U.S.C. Â§ 503) concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. ... United States Deputy Attorney General is a high ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. ... The Justice Management Division (JMD) of the US Department of Justice is the administrative arm of the department, whose mission is to support the Senior Management Offices (SMOs), Offices, Bureaus and Divisions (called Components, of which there are somewhere around 40) which make up DOJ. Common functions such as Finance... The U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division develops, enforces, and supervises the application of all federal criminal laws in the United States, except those specifically assigned to other divisions. ... The U.S. Department of Justices National Security Division (NSD) is a new division within the Department designed to consolidate the Departments national security efforts within one unit, fulfilling a recommendation of the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction. ... The DEAs enforcement activities may take agents anywhere from distant countries to suburban U.S. homes. ... F.B.I. and FBI redirect here. ... The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a subdivision of the United States Department of Justice, and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. ... The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is an agency of the United States government. ... “U.S. Marshals” redirects here. ... The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is an office of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for adjudicating immigration cases in the United States. ... The Office of Intelligence Policy and Review is a staff agency within the United States Department of Justice. ... The Office of the Pardon Attorney is an office within the United States Department of Justice that recommends to the President of the United States who should receive a presidential pardon. ... The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is part of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... United States Attorneys (also known as federal prosecutors) represent the U.S. federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. ... The United States Trustee Program is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that is responsible for overseeing the administration of bankruptcy cases and private trustees. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), established in 1993, is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice and a member of the Intelligence Community. ... The United States Parole Commission is responsible to grant or deny parole and to supervise those released on parole to incarcerated individuals who come under its jurisdiction. ... The Office of Legal Counsel is an American government legal office. ... Robert McCallum, Jr. ... The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is the branch of the United States Department of Justice that focuses on crime prevention through research & technology development, assistance to state and local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies through grants, and assistance to crime victims. ... The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), founded in 1995 as the Violence Against Women Office, is a part of the United States Department of Justice that deals with violence against women, specifically implementing the mandates of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation[1]. Office of Violence Against... The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is an agency within the United States Department of Justice. ... The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States (FCSC) is a quasi-judicial, independent agency within the U.S. Department of Justice which adjudicates claims of U.S. nationals against foreign governments, either under specific jurisdiction conferred by Congress or pursuant to international claims settlement agreements. ... The United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division is responsible for enforcing the antitrust laws of the United States. ... The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division represents the United States, its departments and agencies, members of Congress, Cabinet officers and other Federal employees in civil litigation. ... The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division is the institution within the federal government responsible for enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, and national origin. ... United States Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division The Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) is a litigating component of the United States Department of Justice. ... The United States Department of Justice Tax Division is responsible for the prosecution of both civil and criminal cases arising under the Internal Revenue Code and other tax laws of the United States. ... The Office Of Legal Policy is a division within the United States Department of Justice which describes itself as the focal point for the development and coordination of Departmental policy. In addition to rendering legal advice to the Attorney General and subordinate offices within the Justice Department, it serves as... The United States Solicitor General is the individual appointed to argue for the Government of the United States in front of the Supreme Court of the United States, when the government is party to a case. ...