Politics

House Democrats Earmark $50 Million To Study Gun Violence

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House Democrats on Monday set aside $50 million in their initial labor, health and education bill to study gun violence, ending a 20-year congressional hold on the subject.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will split the money to study firearm injury and mortality prevention, according to Politico.

“For the first time in more than 20 years, it also includes funding to ensure the CDC can conduct scientific research to reduce injuries and save lives from gun violence,” said Democratic New York Rep. Nita Lowey, chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Lawmakers have been wary of funding gun-related research since the 1996 passage of the Dickey Amendment, which “prohibits the CDC from using federal funds to advocate for gun control,” according to The Hill. Democrats have lobbied for such funding since that time.

Gun control advocates, including the gun-lobbying organization Giffords, praised the move.

“The time for action has never been more urgent — that’s why we applaud the 2019 House majority for taking this issue seriously from day one,” said its managing director Robin Lloyd.

“Along with passing stronger gun laws, they are finally allocating money for researchers to properly study this public health and public safety crisis,” he added.

The CDC previously warned it is unable to produce meaningful gun violence research without substantial budgets, according to an agency spokesman.

“Dedicated funding from Congress would help CDC to move forward in this work,” the CDC told Politico in March.

The study was included in the $189.8 billion spending bill being proposed by Democrats for fiscal 2020, which begins Oct. 1. The bill is the first of 12 spending bills being rolled out.

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