Fireworks erupted Monday at a House hearing when Rep. Rosa DeLauro accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of trying to whittle away the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Ms. Bondi has proposed merging ATF with the Drug Enforcement Administration, but Ms. DeLauro said the move would eliminate ATF agents through attrition.
“Your budget request for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, ATF proposes a cut of 26% below the current level. How can you justify such a massive cut without inevitably weakening ATF’s ability to help our state and local law enforcement fight illegal gun trafficking?” Ms. DeLauro asked at a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the Justice Department budget for next year.
“How many ATF law enforcement officers and industry operations investigators do you anticipate will be lost to attrition as a result of this funding reduction you are proposing?”
Ms. Bondi said, “What we’re doing is ATF is going to be brought over with DEA. Everyone knows. Everyone’s sitting up here, guns and drugs go together. We’re going to make it more efficient.”
She continued, “What I will tell you will not be happening as ATF agents will not be knocking on the doors of legal gun owners in the middle of the night, asking them about their guns. They’re going to be out on the streets.”
Ms. DeLauro attempted to interrupt Ms. Bondi, who said, “You asked me a question.”
“You haven’t answered my question,” Ms. DeLauro snapped.
“Mr. Chairman, I’d like an answer to my question, and the question is not being answered. How many ATF law enforcement officers and industry operations investigators do you anticipate will be lost to attrition as a result of the funding reduction you are proposing?” Ms. DeLauro said.
She highlighted some of the proposed cuts at DOJ, including a 26% cut to ATF, a 4.4% cut to DEA and a 34% cut to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, with no funding dedicated to the drug enforcement task force for organized crime.
Ms. Bondi said, “As I was attempting to answer your question very calmly, unlike you.”
Ms. DeLauro shot back, “Excuse me, Madam Attorney General, answer yes or no. Tell me what the numbers are now. I don’t want to hear all of your filibuster about this. Go ahead. Please tell us the numbers.”
Ms. Bondi responded, “We are reorganizing ATF Agents. They want to be out on the street …”
Ms. DeLauro interrupted, saying, “OK. Let me answer the question. I’m going to answer it for you. Mr. Chairman, you give me a certain amount of time, and I have a high respect for you, but I don’t have to listen, nor do my colleagues have to listen to a filibuster when it’s a simple question. But I have an answer to your question.”
She then read from the department’s fiscal year 2026 budget summary that said the ATF would eliminate 541 industry operation investigators, reducing ATF capacity to regulate the firearms and explosive industries by approximately 40%, so the ATF will perform fewer regulatory inspections.
She read from the budget summary: “The ATF anticipates a reduction of approximately 284 support personnel and 186 agents, based on historical attrition patterns. And these personnel cuts will impact ATF across various functions.”
Ms. Bondi responded, “You mentioned regulatory functions. We will not be having ATF agents go to the doors of gun owners in the middle of the night, asking them about their guns. Period. They will be out on the streets with DEA.”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.