WASHINGTON D.C.— On March 22, 2018, the U.S. Congress passed an omnibus spending bill, that allows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct gun violence research. The bill clarifies that the 22-year-old ban, commonly referred to as the Dickey Amendment, on using federal funds to advocate or promote gun control does not ban research on gun violence:

“While appropriations language prohibits the CDC and other agencies from using appropriated funding to advocate or promote gun control, the Secretary of Health and Human Services has stated the CDC has the authority to conduct research on the causes of gun violence.” (p.23)

In March, NCFR joined many other social science organizations by signing a letter to the U.S. Congress calling for federal funding for research into gun violence because of the impact it has on families. This action is line with NCFR’s governance policies and global ends.