---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 531"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "531"
heading: "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/531"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter XI — Department of Justice Divisions"
  - "Part B — Transfer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to the Department of Justice"
---

# §531. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

- (a) **, (b) Transferred—**
- (c) **Transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets to the Department of Justice—**
  - (1) **Transferred—**
  - (2) **Administration and revenue collection functions—** There shall be retained within the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) of the Treasury the authorities, [functions](/usc/6/101.md?p=9), [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15), and [assets](/usc/6/101.md?p=3) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms relating to the administration and enforcement of chapters [51](/usc/26/chstE/ch51.md) and [52](/usc/26/chstE/ch52.md) of title 26, sections [4181](/usc/26/4181.md) and [4182](/usc/26/4182.md) of title 26, and title 27.
  - (3) **Transferred—**
- (d) **Tax and Trade Bureau—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** There is established within the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) of the Treasury the Tax and Trade Bureau.
  - (2) **Administrator—** The Tax and Trade Bureau shall be headed by an [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1), who shall perform such duties as assigned by the Under [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) for Enforcement of the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) of the Treasury. The [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1) shall occupy a career-reserved position within the Senior Executive Service.
  - (3) **Responsibilities—** The authorities, [functions](/usc/6/101.md?p=9), [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15), and [assets](/usc/6/101.md?p=3) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that are not transferred to the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) of Justice under this section shall be retained and administered by the Tax and Trade Bureau.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title XI, § 1111, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2274; Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1187(b), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3127.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Pub. L. 109–162 transferred section catchline and subsecs. (a)–(c)(1), (3), to section 599A of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.