Source: United States Department of Justice
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery
Thank you, Chelsea, for that generous introduction.
I want to start by recognizing Steve’s family here today — with a special thanks to his wife Karil — and children Allie and David.
Steve’s service is also your service — and I am grateful for the sacrifices your family has made these past years so Steve could lead ATF — including the many weeks he shuttled between Washington and Ohio.
Thank you, all of you.
Now, it’s great to be here to honor Steve Dettelbach — a towering figure in the Department — and not just because he’s the tallest component head.
A certain word comes to mind when I think of Steve: boundless.
Boundless energy — starting most days before sunrise and ending deep into the night.
Boundless optimism — a can-do attitude, never to be tamped down by, well, anyone.
And boundless leadership — always pushing the envelope, going the extra mile, encouraging staff to generate new and innovative ideas — perhaps to their chagrin but for the enduring benefit of our communities.
Now, despite our differences in height, Director Dettelbach and I often saw eye to eye.
And that’s because we agree on an essential premise about ATF’s work, one that all of you hear day in and day out from Steve: “Everything we do at ATF begins and ends with public safety.”
I have witnessed that mantra in action every day of Steve’s service and that of the incredible leadership team he put together.
And as the first Senate-confirmed ATF Director in a long, long time, he took that mandate and ran with it.
There are too many notable successes to list today — but allow me to highlight just a few of ATF’s accomplishments under Steve’s leadership.
He led ATF’s implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — the most significant federal gun-safety legislation in over 30 years.
Putting that landmark bipartisan legislation into action has meant investigating and charging hundreds of defendants for firearms trafficking and straw-purchasing — keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals.
Because of enhanced background checks for those under 21 established under the law, nearly 1,000 transactions have already been stopped — keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals.
Because of ATF’s work and Steve’s leadership critical updates to regulations now make it harder for criminals and other prohibited persons to obtain untraceable “ghost guns” — and those “engaged-in-the-business of selling guns” must get a federal license and run background checks.
And on his watch, ATF cracked down on firearms smuggling by cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
Throughout it all Steve exhibited that boundless energy I spoke of at the outset — his nearly seven-foot frame literally bouncing on the balls of his feet as he talked excitedly and with pride about the work of the ATF.
Famously — none of this was easy — at all.
Now, ATF is no stranger to being in the bull’s eye – but no matter what, Steve never stopped working in good faith to reach across the aisle, to reach across borders, and to reach out to those with strongly held views of all kinds to find common ground — all in an effort to save lives.
He worked day and night as a fierce advocate for the women and men of ATF to prioritize investments in ATF’s people, its mission, and its unique role — together with its state and local partners – to protect our communities:
- By relentlessly advocating for crime-gun intelligence, nearly doubling the number CGICs nationwide over the past four years.
- By adding 139 NIBIN sites and growing the number of agencies contributing to the database — totaling more than 12,000 – a huge accomplishment; and
- By increasing the number of law enforcement agencies authorized to access the eTrace application. Today, more than half of all law enforcement agencies can now use this critical tool.
Thanks to Steve — and Marvin before him — they made me an evangelist for crime gun intelligence — for one simple reason — it works!
It helps identify the most prolific trigger pullers and takes them off the street.
Steve has also led with great vision — championing innovation in ATF’s mission, especially by focusing on emerging threats.
Because of this vision, ATF led the charge to go after deadly machine gun conversion devices that turn run of the mill firearms into weapons of war.
He convened experts from our national labs, academia, and the 3-D printing industry to address the proliferation of these illegal machine guns devastating our communities.
While many of ATF’s accomplishments can be measured with stats and research — some are harder to see.
The loved one who made it home last night because a firearm dealer conducted a background check.
The child who was safe at school today because ATF disrupted a gun trafficking network.
These victories are harder to count, but they are lived out by Americans every day.
Steve, because of your work — and that of the women and men of ATF — our communities are safer — and those who’ve been touched by gun violence — though there are far too many — have a place at the center of ATF’s work.
Steve’s and ATF’s dedication to public safety and the victims of gun violence is quite literally reflected at the center of this building — in the Faces of Gun Violence.
I was proud to participate in ATF’s Inaugural Gun Violence Survivors’ Summit — born of Steve’s commitment to supporting victims of gun violence, the the mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, — those in law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice.
In dedicating the Faces of Gun Violence Steve spoke of ATF’s dedication to “honoring the fallen and protecting the living.”
Steve has demonstrated that commitment time and again always there for those who run toward danger.
Always there at the ATF agent’s bedside invested in their recovery every step of the way.
Always there to comfort families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Thank you for your leadership of this great organization, and its dedicated men and women.
Steve, your tireless efforts leave ATF, and the Justice Department, in a better place.
I am grateful for your partnership, your leadership, and for your friendship.
Thank you.