Senate Maintains Full ATF Funding Despite House Cuts

Senate Appropriations Committee Preserves ATF's Complete Budget Request

The Senate Appropriations Committee, under Republican leadership, has chosen to maintain full funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in their fiscal year spending proposal. The committee's decision stands in stark contrast to House Republicans' approach, creating a significant divide in how Congress views the federal firearms regulatory agency's role and resources.

Committee Approves $1.625 Billion Allocation

The Senate committee advanced bill S. 2354 with a decisive 19-10 vote last week, authorizing the complete $1.625 billion budget requested for the ATF. This legislation now moves to the Senate floor where it awaits scheduling for full chamber consideration.

Sharp Contrast with House Proposal

The funding disparity between chambers is substantial. While the Senate version provides full funding, the House iteration dramatically reduces the ATF's budget to $1.2 billion—a cut of more than $400 million. Additionally, the House version attaches numerous pro-gun policy riders to constrain agency operations, whereas the Senate bill includes only one operational restriction: prohibiting funds from being used to merge the ATF with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Committee Leadership Defends Law Enforcement Funding

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, justified the robust funding level by emphasizing broader law enforcement priorities.

"This legislation includes funding to ensure the brave men and women who make up law enforcement departments across the country have the resources and personnel needed to combat the fentanyl crisis, apprehending violent fugitives, and prosecuting criminals," Collins stated.

Collins' Controversial Voting Record

Collins has established herself as one of the few Republican senators willing to break party lines on gun-related legislation. Her voting history includes several notable departures from typical GOP positions:

• She voted against President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" earlier this session, despite the legislation containing pro-gun provisions that eliminated taxes on certain National Firearms Act items including suppressors and short-barreled firearms
• In 2022, she joined Democrats in supporting Biden's "Bipartisan Safer Communities Act," which expanded federal gun control measures across multiple areas
• She was one of only two Republican lawmakers to confirm Biden's nominee Steve Dettelbach as ATF Director, who later became the first sitting director to publicly advocate for "assault weapon" bans

White House Initially Sought ATF Budget Reduction

Interestingly, the current administration had originally proposed significant cuts to the ATF's budget. The White House's FY26 Department of Justice budget request, submitted to Collins in May, recommended a $468 million reduction from the ATF's funding.

The administration's rationale centered on criticisms of the previous administration's firearms policies, stating: "The previous administration used the ATF to attack gun-owning Americans and undermine the Second Amendment by requiring near-universal background checks; subjecting otherwise lawful gun owners to up to 10 years in prison for failing to register pistol braces that make it possible for disabled veterans to use firearms; the imposition of excessive restrictions on homemade firearms; and the revocation of Federal Firearms Licenses, which shut down small businesses across the Nation."

Gun Control Advocates Praise Senate Decision

Anti-gun organizations have expressed strong support for the Senate committee's funding decision. Monisha Henley, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at Everytown, welcomed the news from Collins and the committee.

"We're grateful to leaders on the Senate Committee on Appropriations for prioritizing funding ATF and these critical gun safety measures, and we urge Congress to maintain these funding levels in any final bill," Henley commented.

Next Steps in Legislative Process

Both the House and Senate versions of the appropriations bill remain active in the legislative process. Lawmakers will reconvene in September following their summer recess to consider these competing proposals. The significant funding gap between the two chambers' approaches suggests that reconciling these differences will require substantial negotiation during the final appropriations process.

The outcome will ultimately determine not only the ATF's operational capacity for the upcoming fiscal year but also signal Congress's broader stance on federal firearms regulation and enforcement priorities.