Washington
(December 22, 2020)
– With funding for federal gun violence prevention
research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) beginning for
the first time this past fall, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-14) today applauded the inclusion of $25
million in the 2021 Fiscal Year package to continue that research. Last year,
the lawmakers were also successful in
securing
$25 million in the year-end spending bill to fund research on firearms
safety and gun violence prevention, the first time Congress approved federal
funding for the study of gun violence since an appropriations rider called the Dickey
Amendment was put on the books in 1996.
“Despite
the pandemic, gun violence is up in Massachusetts and around the country. We
cannot accept that gun violence is pre-ordained, when we can know it can be
prevented,” said Senator Markey. “This research funding is a critical
step to understanding the causes of this scourge and putting an end to gun
violence in our schools and neighborhoods. Research will help us create
evidence-based solutions to this ongoing public health crisis.”
“Gun
violence is a public health crisis that continues to destroy lives all across
the country and has grown even worse during the coronavirus pandemic,” said
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. “For years, I have worked to pass
legislation directing federal funding toward health research into gun violence.
I am encouraged that the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations package once again
includes this much needed funding. This research can help save lives by
proposing science-based solutions to end the gun violence epidemic.”
In
January 2019, Senator Markey and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney co-authored
the
Gun
Violence Prevention Research Act, legislation to fund research at
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on firearms safety and gun
violence prevention. The legislation has been endorsed by a number of gun
safety groups and health organizations.
“For
too long the CDC has been prevented from studying the root causes of gun
violence through legislation and lack of funding,” said John Rosenthal,
founder of Stop Handgun Violence. “This funding is an essential next step
in ending an epidemic that takes 100 lives per day and wounds over 200 others.
While state and local governments play an important role in ending gun
violence, without the support, research and resources of the federal government
focused on the problem, we are unlikely to solve it.”
"Young
people, survivors, and activists worked hard to secure this historic funding
for the CDC and NIH,” said Eve Levenson, policy and government affairs
manager at March for Our Lives. "But the fight is nowhere near over.
We look to the new Congress and a new administration to join us in support of
evidence-based solutions for our future. We thank all of those who worked to
secure this funding, and hope we can continue to amplify the voices of young
people who have experienced senseless and preventable tragedy."
“This
appropriations package proves that last year’s historic Congressional funding
for gun violence research wasn’t a flash in the pan, but a sustained commitment
from Congress to address gun violence in America,” said Everytown for Gun
Safety President John Feinblatt. “We applaud Senator Markey for his
leadership to ensure that this crucial research continues — especially during a
pandemic that has made the gun violence crisis worse.”
"Americans
have faced dueling public health crises this year, as a record number of
Americans have died of gun violence even amidst the on-going coronavirus
pandemic," said Brady President Kris Brown. "The inclusion of
this funding for research into gun violence to find evidence-based solutions is
a vital step towards stopping this epidemic and saving lives. Brady applauds
Senator Markey's continued leadership for this funding for needed
research."
“Communities
have faced overwhelming strain this year battling a novel viral pandemic and a
familiar epidemic of gun violence,” said Giffords Federal Affairs Manager
Katherine Phillips. A vaccine breakthrough has brought hope for tackling
one of these challenges, but that will not stop gun violence. Solving this
crisis requires a commitment to science, data, and evidence, and this bill
recognizes that. The bill builds on the landmark decision last year to restart
federal research into gun violence so we can truly understand the problem we’re
trying to solve. As we head into a new year led by a new president, I’m optimistic
that this dedication to saving lives will continue.”