Statement by the Press Secretary on Steve Dettelbach's Confirmation Hearing

Steve Dettelbach demonstrated today exactly why he has received strong bipartisan support from leading law enforcement groups, mayors, and top former federal prosecutors – and why the Senate should move quickly to confirm him to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Dettelbach is a career prosecutor who won unanimous support the last time he was before the Senate, and who has spent decades working hand-in-hand with law enforcement – including ATF agents – to prosecute complex cases, take down gangs, and successfully charge hate crimes. He understands the vital importance of redoubling ATF's work to fight gun violence and domestic terrorism, and he understands deeply, as he said today, that "politics can play no role in law enforcement."

After being vacant for seven years, it's never been more important to have a tough, experienced, leader like Steve Dettelbach at the helm of ATF to support the agents risking their lives on the front lines every day to protectthe American people. And as we saw with the tragic shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo – where ATF agents have played a key role in the investigations – and with daily gun violence plaguing too many of our communities, now is the time to provide ATF the leadership it needs to redouble its work to enforce our gun laws and make our communities safer.