Democrats push to restart CDC funding for gun violence

Democrats push to restart CDC funding for gun violence research – Two Congressional Democrats are unveiling legislation this morning that would restart the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s gun violence research efforts.  Since 1996, when a small CDC-funded study on the risks of owning a firearm ignited opposition from Republicans, the CDC’s budget for research on firearms injuries has shrunk to zero.  The result, as we’ve detailed, is that many basic questions about gun violence — such as how many Americans are shot each year — remain unanswered.  The new legislation, which will be introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D., N.Y.) in the House, and Sen. Ed Markey (D., Mass.) in the Senate, would give the CDC $10 million a year “for the purpose of conducting or supporting research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention.”