U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) gave a tentatively supportive outlook on efforts to abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which has already received backing from some Alabama congressmen.
The ATF has become a popular source of criticism for Libertarians and many Libertarian-leaning conservatives, specifically for perceived overreach of its statutory authority and infringement on American's Second Amendment rights.
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) recently joined congressional efforts to abolish the ATF, claiming it "repeatedly violated Americans' Second Amendment rights."
I am proud to stand with my friend @RepEricBurlison as a co-sponsor of H.R. 374, the “Abolish the ATF Act.”
— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) December 10, 2024
The ATF has repeatedly violated Americans’ Second Amendment rights, and it’s time to put an end to this unconstitutional overreach.
Similar measures have been introduced in the past, with little forward motion in the legislative process. However, with the incoming Trump administration combined with the efforts of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the possibility of massive cuts to federal agencies may be more real than ever.
When asked, Tuberville did not explicitly announce support for abolishing the ATF. Instead, he expressed interest in "shaking things up" and accusing the ATF of infringing on Americans' rights.
"That's going to have to be really looked at," Tuberville said. "At the end of the day, it's going to be President Trump's call. The American people delivered a mandate back on November 5 in a lot of these areas. They're absolutely sick of the status quo. So, the federal government's gotten too big."
"If you look at the DOGE group, they're wanting to come in and cut back on the bureaucracy of the federal government. So, there's no question that the ATF under Joe Biden has really infringed on Americans' rights, their Second Amendment rights. All I'm for is shaking things up and giving the power back to the people, especially when it comes to anything to do with firearms," he added.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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