Release: Capt. Mark Kelly Statement on Senate Confirmation of ATF Director Jones

July 31, 2013

WASHINGTON – Captain Mark Kelly, co-founder of Americans for Responsible Solutions, released the following statement today after the U.S Senate voted to confirm B. Todd Jones as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – the first time since 2006 that the ATF will have a permanent director.

“It took seven years — and a little drama on the Senate floor today — but in the end, the Senate listened to the American people over the gun lobby. This victory shows that when elected officials set aside their political differences and look at the facts, they can work together to protect America from gun violence. Americans know that a law enforcement agency tasked with keeping us safe from gun crime needs to have a permanent leader. Now the ATF has a great one in B. Todd Jones, thanks to the Senators who voted to confirm him. Our hope is that the Senate will build on this victory by turning its attention to other sensible solutions like expanded background checks.”

Prior to 2002, the director of the ATF was not required to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. But in the aftermath ofSept. 11, the gun lobby pushed through a provision to the Homeland Security Act requiring Senate confirmation of this position as part of a larger push to weaken gun safety laws. Due to Congressional dysfunction and fear of the gun lobby, a minority of Senators have been able to use filibusters and other blocking tactics to keep the ATF from having a permanent leader.

The effect of this was immediate, and chilling. Just as a business can’t run without a CEO, and a plane can’t fly without a pilot, a federal agency cannot carry out its most basic functions without consistent, strong, permanent leadership. The ATF is tasked with protecting America from gun crime, and from keeping guns away from dangerous people. So without consistent leadership, its ability to do this has been greatly hampered – and now, with a permanent leader finally at the helm, the ATF can put its full resources behind enforcing our existing gun laws.

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