Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4821
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-29: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-01T08:08:45Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025 aims to fund research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention by authorizing additional money for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It treats gun violence as a public health issue, similar to how the CDC studies other diseases or injuries.
Key Provisions
- Funding Authorization: Allocates $50 million each fiscal year from 2026 through 2031 to the CDC specifically for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention.
- Scope: This funding falls under the Public Health Service Act, a broad law that governs federal health programs, and is in addition to any existing funds for similar purposes.
- Short Title: The bill is officially named the "Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025."
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Historically, a 1996 amendment (known as the Dickey Amendment) limited CDC funding for research that could be seen as promoting gun control, effectively restricting studies on gun violence. This bill introduces new, dedicated funding that overrides those past restrictions by explicitly authorizing appropriations for such research without similar limitations.
- It does not repeal the Dickey Amendment but provides fresh funding streams to enable the work.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The CDC would gain resources to expand its research capabilities, potentially leading to more data-driven public health strategies on injury prevention, similar to efforts on car crashes or opioid overdoses.
- On Citizens: Could result in better evidence-based policies to reduce gun-related injuries and deaths, benefiting communities affected by gun violence through improved prevention programs or awareness.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic public health research; however, findings might influence global discussions on violence prevention if shared internationally.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Public Health Agencies and Researchers: The CDC and affiliated scientists who can now access funding for studies on gun safety and violence.
- Communities and Advocacy Groups: Urban areas with high gun violence rates, gun control organizations (e.g., those pushing for prevention), and public health advocates seeking data to inform policy.
- Firearm Owners and Industry: Gun rights groups or manufacturers, who may view the research as potentially leading to restrictive regulations, though the bill focuses on safety rather than control.
- Congress and Policymakers: Lawmakers involved in health and appropriations committees, as this could influence future budgets and debates on gun policy.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the CDC's role in studying preventable injuries under existing public health laws, without altering gun ownership rights. It avoids direct regulation of firearms, focusing instead on research.
- Constitutional: No major challenges anticipated, as it involves congressional spending power (Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution) for public health, which courts have upheld for similar programs.
- Political: Likely to spark debate in a polarized environment, with supporters seeing it as a step toward addressing a public health crisis (over 40,000 gun deaths annually in the U.S.) and opponents worrying it could bias research toward gun restrictions. Passage would signal shifting priorities in Congress toward evidence-based violence prevention.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]
Cosponsors (51)
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39], Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5], Rep. Himes, James A. [D-CT-4], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11], Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13], Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1], Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2], Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2] and 1 more
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-29: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2025-07-29: Introduced in House
- 2025-07-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2025 — issued 2025-07-29 — PDF (2 pages)