DeLauro, Price, House Democrats Call on Leadership to End Gun Violence Research Ban

Statement

Today, Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), David E. Price (D-NC), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Robin Kelly (D-IL) led 110 Democratic colleagues in urging House leadership to end the longstanding de facto ban on federal funding for gun violence research. As a result of this ban, there has been very limited academic research into the causes of gun violence and its impact on public health, weakening efforts to make our communities safer and to implement bipartisan gun reforms.

"Scientists and other researchers conduct evidence-based studies into car crashes, prescription drug usage, smoking and all sorts of other accidents and injuries," said DeLauro. "But for years, this type of federal inquiry on firearms has been effectively banned for ideological reasons. We should be conducting more examinations into how to prevent these injuries and save lives, not hiding from the truth. Congress should be doing everything possible to enhance public health, not intimidating researchers. We must end the prohibition on federal gun violence research."

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