Rep. Eric Burlison pushes to abolish the ATF as Trump takes office
- Rep. Eric Burlison is advocating for the elimination of the ATF, citing its regulatory actions as problematic.
- He views the agency as infringing upon Second Amendment rights through recent rules and regulations.
- Burlison aims for a legal landscape where states manage firearms enforcement independently, without federal intervention.
In the United States, Representative Eric Burlison is advancing plans to abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) amid President-elect Donald Trump's upcoming administration and a Republican-controlled Congress. Burlison, a Republican, has criticized the ATF as a 'disaster agency' that has historically violated the Second Amendment. His proposal stems from discontent with recent ATF regulations issued during the Biden/Harris administration, which included measures that affected legally purchased firearm accessories and mandated background checks for certain firearm transfers. Burlison's push reflects a broader sentiment among some lawmakers to reduce federal oversight of gun laws, favoring state-level enforcement instead. He argues that such changes are necessary to prevent the legal complications and enforcement issues that have arisen from recent ATF regulations, illustrating a desire for a system where litigation regarding gun laws is unnecessary because the federal agency would no longer exist.