141 medical organizations call on Congress to fund CDC research on gun violence

A coalition of more than 100 medical groups representing more than one million health professionals sent a letter to Congress Wednesday requesting funds for the CDC to research gun violence, according to The Guardian.

The dearth of gun violence research at the CDC is the result of a rider on a 1996 bill which bars the organization from using funds to advocate or promote gun control. The rider is referred to as the "Dickey amendment" after former congressman Jay Dickey. Mr. Dickey has since called for the reversal of the law and the ban on gun violence research funding.

In addition to calling for an end to the current interpretation of the "Dickey amendment," the letter presents three critical questions with accompanying sub-questions that CDC research could potentially help to answer.

The three critical questions are:
1. What is the best way to protect toddlers from accidentally firing a firearm?
2. What are the most effective ways to prevent gun-related suicides?
3. What is the impact of the variety of state policies being enacted?

The most recent letter is a continuation of pressure from the medical and public health communities directed at congressional legislators to end the prohibition on gun research.

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