May 24th, 2016 by WCBC Radio
Attorney General Frosh has joined a multistate coalition urging Congress to immediately fund research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into the causes and prevention of gun related injuries and death.
In 1996, Congress included a provision in the annual appropriations bill prohibiting the use of any CDC funds “to advocate or promote gun control.” In an effort led by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Attorney General Frosh and 12 other attorneys general, sent a letter today calling for Congress not only to eliminate the annual rider that blocks gun research efforts, but also to direct funding for the CDC to study the causes of gun violence. The goal is to help determine the most effective prevention strategies.
“Gun safety and the prevention of gun violence is and has been a top priority for me,” said Attorney General Frosh. “While we are working at the state level to address gun violence, efforts on a national level need to take place. Gun related injuries and deaths are an epidemic in our country, and the time to act is now. Providing the CDC with resources will help tackle gun violence in our nation.”
Analyses of prevention measures, such as counseling by healthcare providers, and scientific research into the root cause and psychology of gun violence are needed to help reduce the number of gun violence victims. Unfortunately, while more than half a million Americans have died by firearms over the past twenty years, federal funding for gun violence research has been cut by 96 percent. In their letter, the attorneys general state that sidelining the CDC severely limits data collection and discourages public health professionals from working in this field.
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