The U.S. House of Representatives passed a spending package that includes $25 million for gun violence research.
The bill—sponsored by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) — now moves to the Senate for consideration. The Senate will vote on final passage in the coming days. The $25 million would be spent on gun violence prevention research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This would be the first time Congress approves federal funding for the study of gun violence since the Dickey Amendment in 1996.
“Gun violence is a public health epidemic, and it should be studied just like any other health crisis – by our government’s top researchers,” Maloney and Markey said in a joint statement. “While our bill would have provided $50 million for this research, this $25 million is an important first step. Studying gun violence is key [in] helping us to address an epidemic that takes 100 lives a day. We need to do everything we can to address preventable gun violence.”
Several state and national gun safety groups, including Sandy Hook Promise, Everytown for Gun Safety, and Brady Campaign, have endorsed the legislation. Many public organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, and School Superintendents Association, have also supported the bill.