Gun Violence Research Bill Introduced; Prospects Dim

Three U.S. representatives have introduced the National Gun Violence Research Act of 2025, legislation to establish a coordinated national gun violence research program focused on the causes, consequences, and prevention of gun-related injuries and deaths.

U.S. Representatives Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Don Beyer (VA-08), and Maxwell Forst (FL-10) introduced the bill Sept. 30, calling it a ‘whole of government approach’ and a critical step toward evidence-based policies to reduce gun violence.

Specifically, the National Gun Violence Research Act of 2025 will: 

• Establish the National Gun Violence Research Program to support multidisciplinary research, accelerate translation of findings into effective policies, expand training opportunities for new researchers, and fund the creation of the National Centers for Violence Research through the National Science Foundation (NSF). 
• Repeal longstanding federal restrictions that have historically limited research on gun violence and access to firearm data, ensuring researchers have the information they need to study this public health crisis. 
• Direct federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Justice (DOJ), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and National Institute of Justice (NIJ), to fund and coordinate research, establish interagency planning through a Working Group led by the White House OSTP Director, and promote voluntary gun safety standards. 
• Create an Advisory Committee composed of representatives from research institutions, higher education, healthcare and social service providers, local government, law enforcement, community organizations, and relevant nonprofits to assess the Program’s management, priorities, and effectiveness. 
• Authorize funding for research and Program activities from 2026 through 2031 to support these efforts and advance evidence-based strategies for reducing gun-related injuries and deaths.

Needless to say, the bill faces an uphill fight in the Republican-controlled House.

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