The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“Nomination of Steven M. Dettelbach (Executive Calendar)” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the in the Senate section section on pages S3224-S3225 on July 12.
The Department is one of the oldest in the US, focused primarily on law enforcement and the federal prison system. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, detailed wasteful expenses such as $16 muffins at conferences and board meetings.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
Nomination of Steven M. Dettelbach
Mr. BROWN. Madam President, last week on the Fourth of July, a day meant to celebrate freedom and independence, we witnessed another act of senseless violence--this time, in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park.
Yet again, more Americans have been murdered while going about their daily lives--this time, attending an Independence Day parade.
Yet again, a community grieves. Yet again, we ask: How many times are we going to allow this to happen?
The bipartisan gun safety bill was important--long overdue progress, finally.
Today, we have the opportunity to keep up that work together and take another important step in protecting Americans from violent gun crimes by confirming a permanent ATF Director.
I urge my colleagues to support President Biden's nominee, Steve Dettelbach, from Cleveland, to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
There is no better person for this role than Steve Dettelbach, a son of Ohio, a career public servant, with the experience and the record to combat violent crime and keep Americans safe.
As U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Steve worked with law enforcement, including ATF, to prosecute tough cases.
I have known Steve Dettelbach for years. I have watched him tackle some of the Department of Justice's most sensitive cases--cases at the intersection of law enforcement and civil rights.
He prosecuted a White supremacist who tried to burn down First Azusa Apostolic Faith Church, a predominantly Black church in my wife's home county of Ashtabula, in a community called Conneaut, OH. Steve not only prosecuted the man responsible, he helped create a clergy group, United Against Hate.
When he prosecuted the firebombing of the largest mosque in Northwest Ohio, Steve, a practicing Jew, attended worship services there as a show of solidarity. He has lived the value of religious freedom. He has consistently stood up against extremism and hate.
Steve Dettelbach understands that politics must play no role in running the ATF. His experience, his record bear that out. That is why he has broad support from across the ideological spectrum, including prosecutors, including law enforcement officials who understand what it takes to do this job.
This includes law enforcement groups like NOBLE, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives; the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association; Women in Federal Law Enforcement; the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the Major County Sheriffs' Association; the National Sheriffs' Association.
It includes more than 140 former Federal prosecutors, 8 former ATF Directors, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the association representing the men and women of the ATF.
He has the support of civil rights organizations--the National Urban League, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and faith organizations like the Jewish Federation of North America.
They understand that Steve is the right person to lead this vital law enforcement Agency.
Following the horrific shooting in Highland Park, local law enforcement was able to capture the murderer so quickly because of the help provided by the heroes--the men and women of the ATF.
Yet there are some out there who not only don't want an ATF Director, for whatever reason, they may oppose Steve Dettelbach. That is not even it. They want to abolish the ATF entirely. That is one stupid idea.
You know who thinks that it is a terrible idea? Every single law enforcement officer who has to combat gun crimes on a daily basis. They know how important the ATF is, even though some fringe politicians and just some fringe, conspiracy-minded characters think the ATF should be abolished.
Abolishing the ATF, these law enforcement officers argue, rightly--
abolishing the ATF would make our communities less safe.
In their letter endorsing Mr. Dettelbach, the National Sheriffs' Association said that he would work to bring ``people together by working closely with state and local law enforcement to ensure that resources are adequately allocated to combat violent crime.''
The sheriffs went on to write they appreciated Steve's ``goal of being a value-add to local law enforcement by not only adding resources to urban areas, but rural as well.''
Rural crime and rural terrorism and rural--abuses like that are just as likely in rural areas as cities.
Mr. Dettelbach has emphasized the importance of ``boots on the ground'' task forces and pledged to provide forensic help to local law enforcement at crime scenes.
Sadly, our local law enforcement personnel need this help. Fortunately, the ATF, with Steve Dettelbach, I hope, confirmed and soon at the helm, will be there to provide that help.
I can think of no better way to support law enforcement, to reject hate, to keep Americans safe from violent crime than for the Senate to confirm Steve Dettelbach ATF Director.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting his confirmation.
Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, today, the Senate will vote on Steve Dettelbach's nomination to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives--better known as ATF.
As I said on the floor yesterday, after describing in horrifying detail the mass shooting in Highland Park on the Fourth of July, we need a confirmed ATF Director now more than ever.
When a mass shooter tears apart a community like Highland Park, IL--
or Buffalo, NY--ATF agents are among the first to arrive on scene. In fact, in the hours following the attack in Highland Park, it was ATF agents who traced the firearm belonging to the confessed shooter. Their investigate work was described by local authorities in Lake County as
``phenomenal.'' I couldn't agree more.
The least we can do to support these heroic agents is confirm a proven leader to head the ATF, which has gone 7 years without a Senate-
confirmed Director.
Our country and our communities deserve better. They deserve an ATF that is fully equipped to respond on our Nation's darkest days--and to enforce the laws on the books to prevent these tragedies in the first place.
And Steve Dettelbach is exactly the right leader for this challenge. He is a career prosecutor with decades of experience fighting crime, religion-motivated violence, gun trafficking, and he is a proven consensus-builder with bipartisan support.
The vote on Mr. Dettelbach's nomination is not about a new policy or regulation; it is about enforcing the laws that already exist, and respecting the men and women of ATF who deserve Senate-confirmed leadership. This vote is a pragmatic step all of us can take toward making our communities safer.
Guns are now the leading cause of death for American children. And we have more than one mass shooting per day in America. In the wake of Highland Park, Uvalde, Buffalo, and too many tragedies across America, it is clear that we need experienced and dedicated law enforcement leadership in agencies like ATF. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting Mr. Dettelbach.
