[Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore]

Biden Seeking to Double Funding for ATF in New Budget

The budget for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reportedly could be increased to $1.9 billion in fiscal year 2024 if President Joe Biden gets his way.

This would be a $663 million increase in funding compared to the amount that was available at the end of the Obama administration’s fiscal year 2017 budget.

When compared to the $1.237 billion that was budgeted for the ATF at the end of the Obama administration’s fiscal year 2017, the ATF would receive $1.9 billion in federal funding under Biden’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024.

This represents an increase of approximately 50%, or $663 million.

The increased budget proposed by Biden is timed to coincide with a number of new gun control measures.

According to the budget, President Biden’s proposed spending plan for the fiscal year 2024 would allocate additional funds to the ATF for the purposes of further regulating the firearms industry, creating gun trafficking strike forces, enforcing background checks, and implementing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

In addition to the Department of Justice and the Alcohol and Tobacco Finance and Trade Bureau (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will receive $51 million to support the continuation of the implementation of expanded background checks as mandated by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

When Joe Biden began office, the budget for the ATF was $1.4 billion for the final year of the fiscal year 2020.

If the budget proposal for the fiscal year 2024 is approved, the budget for the ATF will grow by 35.7%, which is equivalent to $500 million.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (ATF) during the Biden administration has imposed various restricted weapons policies and has also pursued ever stricter gun regulations, policies that are likely to accelerate if the new larger budget is approved.

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