In 1996, pro-gun members of Congress mounted an all-out effort to stifle the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, removing $2.6 million from their budget and eliminating support for firearm injury research, stating: “none of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the CDC may be used to advocate or promote gun control.” Two years later, Congress extended the restrictive language to all Department of Health and Human Services agencies, including the National Institutes of Health.
Since this action, at least 427,000 people have died of gunshot wounds. Injury prevention research has real and lasting effects that translate into effective interventions. Rescind this moratorium to aid in preventing senseless gun violence.