THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms(ATF) was founded in 1972, established as a separate agency inside the U.S. Treasury Department. Before this transition took place, all of the ATF's responsibilities were under the care of the IRS. The Bureau's responsibilities consist of administering and enforcing the federal laws relating tofirearms and explosives, and to alcohol and tobacco products. Since 1982, when the federal Anti-Arson Act was passed, …showed first 75 words of 264 total…

…showed last 75 words of 264 total…regulating storage facilities for explosives, and maintaining records so that firearms and explosives used to execute crimes can be traced. The ATF came under inquiry for it's faulty raid on the compound of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, on February 28, 1993. Not only were four ATF agents and six cult members killed in the initial raid, but the resulting 51-day siege (handled by the FBI) ended in disaster. A Treasury Department report was highly faultfinding.