Quigley, House Democrats Call on Leadership to End Gun Violence Research Ban
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley (IL-05), David E. Price (NC-04), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Nita Lowey (NY-17), and Robin Kelly (IL-02) led 110 Democratic colleagues in urging House leadership to end the longstanding de facto ban on federal funding for gun violence research. As a result of this ban, there has been very limited academic research into the causes of gun violence and its impact on public health, weakening efforts to make our communities safer and to implement bipartisan gun reforms.
"Our nation is facing an epidemic of gun violence. And for many of the residents in my hometown of Chicago, gun violence is not just a headline – gun violence is an everyday reality," said Rep. Quigley. "These restrictions cut off the debate on guns and resign our country to the status quo. Conducting unbiased, comprehensive research to better understand the epidemic of gun violence is necessary to ensure the safety of the American people. We have to be able to talk openly about gun violence to effectively address public safety issues and keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people."
"If Republican leadership is unwilling to consider reasonable, common-sense reforms to stem the tragic tide of gun violence, let us at least lift this ill-advised ban," said Rep. Price. "Congress must have access to gun violence research to fully understand the extent of gun violence, its causes, and possible policy solutions. The funding ban is tantamount to plugging our ears and pretending there isn't a problem as 32,000 Americans die each year unnecessarily."
"Scientists and other researchers conduct evidence-based studies into car crashes, prescription drug usage, smoking and all sorts of other accidents and injuries," said Rep. DeLauro. "But for years, this type of federal inquiry on firearms has been effectively banned for ideological reasons. We should be conducting more examinations into how to prevent these injuries and save lives, not hiding from the truth. Congress should be doing everything possible to enhance public health, not intimidating researchers. We must end the prohibition on federal gun violence research."
"It's time to end mindless, ideological roadblocks and begin researching causes and prevention strategies related to gun violence in the United States," said Rep. Lowey. "That's why I'm calling on House Leadership to reject the abusive prohibition on basic research on gun violence. As Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue working to advance this commonsense step to improve public health and safety."
"America has suffered the tragedies of mass shootings, urban violence, and firearm suicides for far too long," said Rep. Kelly. "Congress has a responsibility to the American people to pass meaningful legislation to combat gun violence. In order to do so, we need the best data available on the impact gun violence has on our communities, our nation's public health, and on our economic future. The Dickey Amendments have denied crucial gun violence prevention research. Lifting the ban on federal gun violence research is a crucial first step to putting an end to this senseless violence."
The ban on gun violence research was first implemented in 1996 at the urging of Former Rep. Jay Dickey (R-AR). Dickey has since reversed his stance on the legislation, arguing that "[i]f we had somehow gotten the research going, we could have somehow found a solution to the gun violence without there being any restrictions on the Second Amendment." Democrats in the House Appropriations Committee offered an amendment this year to end the ban, but the measure was rejected largely along party lines.
A copy of the Quigley-Price-DeLauro-Lowey-Kelly letter can be accessed here.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Quigley has called on Congress to stand up to the gun lobby in America. Most recently, he co-authored a bipartisan background check bill that expands the existing background check system to cover all commercial firearm sales. He also introduced the Good Neighbor Gun Act, which would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a voluntary code of conduct for licensed gun dealers and create a national "Good Neighbor" certification for gun dealers who abide by a certain set of requirements. His signature legislation, the TRACE Act, cracks down on the illegal gun market by improving gun tracking data and provides law enforcement the tools it needs to enforce current gun laws. Rep Quigley believes Chicago's gun violence epidemic demands a federal response. He has led bills to increase funding to public safety and combat gun violence in the Chicago area, and is an original sponsor of the Buyback our Safety Act to bolster gun buyback initiatives.
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