Resolution in Support for ATF Nominee Steve Dettelbach
Adopted at the 90th Annual Meeting in 2022
WHEREAS, In 2021, gun homicides and non-suicide-related shootings took approximately 20,700 lives—a 6 percent increase from the first year of the pandemic in 2020, which already saw a significant increase in gun violence over 2019; and
WHEREAS, a cornerstone of any comprehensive approach to gun safety includes a strong Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) — the agency tasked with enforcing federal gun laws and regulating the firearms industry; and
WHEREAS, it has been nearly a decade since the United States has had a Senate-confirmed director at ATF; and
WHEREAS, a Senate-confirmed ATF Director is crucial to robust implementation and enforcement of gun laws and to lead the agency in its efforts to shut down gun trafficking and rogue gun dealers; and
WHEREAS, a Senate-confirmed director is necessary to provide leadership to the thousands of ATF agents across the country and ensure the agency is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to tackling gun violence; and
WHEREAS, Steve Dettelbach was nominated in April 2022 by President Biden to be the next Director of ATF; and
WHEREAS, Steve Dettelbach has more than two decades of experience as a prosecutor, including serving as the Senate-confirmed US Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio and in the Department of Justice; and
WHEREAS, as a former prosecutor, Steve Dettelbach understands the importance of federal and state law enforcement's collaborative efforts to combat and prevent violent crimes and will support the law enforcement officers within and working with ATF to enforce the laws on the books; and
WHEREAS, Steve Dettelbach's nomination has garnered significant bipartisan support, including from top law enforcement officials and federal prosecutors from Republican and Democratic administrations;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors registers its strong support for Steve Dettelbach to be the next Director of the ATF and urges the United States Senate to immediately confirm his nomination.