Boy. The cost of government venality and incompetence sure is going up.

Here is the Senate appropriations legislation for ATF for 2016.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriations, 2015....................................  $1,201,000,000
Budget estimate, 2016...................................   1,261,158,000
House allowance.........................................   1,240,000,000
Committee recommendation................................   1,201,000,000

The Committee's recommendation provides $1,201,000,000 for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [ATF]. The recommendation is equal to the fiscal year 2015 enacted level and $60,158,000 below the budget request.      The ATF reduces the criminal use of firearms and illegal firearms trafficking, and assists other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies in reducing crime and violence. The ATF investigates bombing and arson incidents and assists with improving public safety by reducing the criminal misuse of and trafficking in explosives, combating acts of arson and arson-for-profit schemes, and removing safety hazards caused by improper and unsafe storage of explosive materials.


Combating Gun Violence and Enforcing Existing Gun Laws.-- The Committee's recommendation maintains ATF's ability to enforce existing firearms laws and perform regulatory oversight and training, including the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network [NIBIN]. This will enable the ATF to continue to collect, report, and share ballistic intelligence with Federal, State, local and tribal law enforcement partners to identify, target, and disrupt violent criminals, including serial shooters. Funds will support work with State and local law enforcement agencies and laboratories to collect ballistic hit information to provide leads to Firearms Intelligence Groups for investigations and document successful prosecutions as a result of NIBIN.


United States Bomb Data Center.--The Committee is encouraged by ATF's recent announcement that it is permanently moving the U.S. Bomb Data Center [USBDC] to the National Center for Explosives Training and Research, which will effectively combine the three components of explosives research, training, and information sharing in one location. DOJ has designated the Bomb Arson Tracking System [BATS] repository maintained at the USBDC as the sole repository for explosives incidents, and has directed all DOJ components to use this system to document explosives-related incidents. The Committee believes that the USBDC will be more productive with regular input and analysis from multiple agencies. The Committee encourages ATF to work with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Bombing Prevention to make space available for any analysts or agents from those agencies who may be assigned to the USBDC to increase Federal collaboration on bomb information.

United States-Mexico Firearms Trafficking.--The Committee continues to support the ATF's efforts to combat weapon trafficking on the border. The ATF shall continue to provide the Committee with annual data on the total number of firearms recovered by the Government of Mexico, and of those, the number for which an ATF trace is attempted, the number successfully traced, and the number determined to have originated in the United States prior to being recovered in Mexico.

National Center for Explosives Training and Research [NCETR].--ATF has increased the number of staff and course offerings at NCETR, including restarting the advanced fire investigation training course and providing additional advanced explosives disposal techniques courses for public safety bomb technicians, which the Committee directs ATF to maintain in fiscal year 2016. Given that NCETR serves as the Bureau's
Center of Excellence for arson and explosives training and expertise, the Committee directs ATF and the Department to provide a report not later than 120 days after enactment of this act detailing plans for the future to enhance both staffing levels and course availability, including collocating the Bureau's canine training operations for explosives and accelerant detection at NCETR.