CONGRESSIONAL. RECORD — SENATE
June 27, 1978
Page 19117
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the proposal by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to implement new regulations relating to firearms have provoked considerable controversy among citizens concerned with potential infringement on their right to own and use firearms. I appreciate the interest in this area by sportsmen in Maine and around the country and support the action by the Appropriations Committee including language in this bill explicitly prohibiting the use of any funds in this bill to implement the regulations. It is clear that under the language in the bill no action could be taken to implement the proposed regulations unless the administration requested additional funds for that purpose in a supplemental appropriations request or in a budget submission for 1980 or subsequent years.
I understand the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury affirmed before the Senate Appropriations Committee that no funds in this bill would be used to implement the proposed regulations. Secretary Blumenthal reaffirmed that position in a June 22 letter to me which I will include in the RECORD at the conclusion of my remarks.
Under these circumstances the proposal to cut $4.2 million from the funding for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is at best premature and could be damagingly punitive. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms provides extensive support to State and local police departments in training for bombing and firearms investigative techniques and bears major responsibility for anti-terrorist investigations.
The ability of the Bureau to undertake these activities and to continue its regulatory responsibilities in the liquor area could be adversely affected by this arbitrary act. Under these circumstances — without information from the committee as to the impact of this act — I must support the motion to table the amendment.
Mr. HATHAWAY. Mr. President, I share the views of my colleague from Maine on this matter and wish to associate myself with his remarks.
(The letter referred to by Mr. MUSKIE follows: )
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,
Washington, D.C.,
June 22, 1978.
Hon. EDMUND S. MUSKIE,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR ED:
I am writing to urge your support of the Appropriations Committee approval of the budget of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) which restores $3.8 million of the $4.2 million cut by the House.
A $4.2 million cut will cause a serious curtailment of BATF's regulatory and enforcement responsibilities. The cut will entail a reduction of 135 positions, which translates into over 200 permanent positions. It is likely that this will necessitate a reduction-in-force of BATF employees.
The budget cut would affect all activities of the Bureau, including its ability to assist State and local criminal investigations, its enforcement of Federal revenue laws, and the important regulatory responsibilities in the liquor area. In addition, BATF will be forced to eliminate almost two-thirds of its technical training, which includes training of State and local police in bombing and firearms investigative techniques, and would have to reduce important aspects of its anti- terrorism activities. Major illegal firearms investigations would also be adversely affected.
There has been a great deal of controversy surrounding firearms regulations proposed by BATF in March of 1978. Some have erroneously claimed that the Department intends to use FY 1979 monies to implement these regulations. This is not true. While I believe the proposed regulations would enhance the Federal and local ability to light violent crime, it is important to realize that the FY 1979 budget does not contain funds to implement them. As I previously wrote to the Appropriations Committee, a decision to implement these regulations will require the Department either to seek a supplemental appropriation for FY 1979 or include a request for such funds in our 1980 submission. Furthermore, you should note that the Committee bill already contains language which would require a new appropriation in order to implement the regulations. Thus, there is clearly no relation between the controversy over the regulations and the money at issue.
In the event of a floor amendment to reduce BATF's budget, I hope you will actively support the bill as reported by the Appropriations Committee.
Sincerely,
W. MICHAEL BLUMENTHAL.