Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) re-introduced the bicameral Gun Violence Prevention Research Act, legislation to annually authorize $50 million over the next five years for gun violence prevent research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Make no mistake: gun violence is preventable. Republicans actively choose to watch children, mothers, fathers, and Americans gunned down in deference to the gun lobby,” said Strickland. “We must root out the gun violence crisis in our nation. This legislation will simply treat gun violence as the public health crisis it is, and allow us to research it so we can take steps toward saving lives.”
“Stopping the spread of our nation’s gun violence epidemic requires action on the reforms we know are essential and effective,” said Senator Markey. “We must invest more to study the root causes of violence and develop evidence-based solutions. This legislation would allow our nation’s top medical, scientific, and public health researchers to conduct studies that would save lives. It is critical that we chart a path out of this public health crisis.”
“Gun violence is a uniquely American crisis that continues to impact communities across Michigan and our country,” said Senator Slotkin. “As the first Member of Congress to have two mass shootings in my former House district—Oxford High School and Michigan State University—I’ve seen first-hand the devastating toll gun violence has on our communities. As elected officials, our most basic responsibility is to protect our children from the things that are truly harming them. We must treat this epidemic like the national security threat that it is. And that means using every tool in the toolbox. Let’s get this bill across the finish line.”
This legislation arrives at a critical time. The Trump Administration has effectively dismantled gun violence prevention efforts, decimating the staff at the CDC and terminating $158 million—more than half—of federal funding for gun violence prevention programs at the Department of Justice.
House co-sponsors include: Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51), Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11), Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08), Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04), Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15), and Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02).
This bill is endorsed by the following organizations:
- Brady United
- Everytown for gun Safety
- March For Our Lives
- GIFFORDS
You can read the full bill text here.
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.
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