One high-profile figure under early consideration, Art Acevedo, the former Houston police chief, recently accepted an offer to run Miamis police department.
Over the last two decades, Republicans, with the support of conservative Democrats, have embedded into spending bills riders intended to constrain the bureau, including limits on unannounced inspections of gun dealers, prohibitions on documenting the inventories of gun shops and an especially damaging provision that bars the agency from digitizing its records.
In 2006, N.R.A.-allied lawmakers enacted a provision making the position of A.T.F. director, which had previously been a political appointment, subject to Senate confirmation.
As a result, only one director, Obama nominee B. Todd Jones, has been confirmed over the last 15 years.
Former President Donald J. Trump withdrew the nomination of a former top police union official, Chuck Canterbury, after the nominee refused to entirely rule out expanding background checks and other safeguards.
The appointment was reported earlier by The Associated Press.