Create a permanent National Gun Safety Administration similar to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been effective at lowering the death rate on our highways. The deaths in the US due to guns are close to those from automobiles, yet we have no similar agency to fund and direct research into effective methods to reduce deaths caused by guns. This research should include, among other topics, ways to make the guns safer, so that children do not so easily kill themselves or their friends; effective public health messages to reduce the culture of violence; effective methods of lowering suicide and homicide rates. This research is vital, and should be managed by a well funded National Gun Safety Administration.