The Centers for Disease Control funding will support critical projects at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control in Chamblee

Washington, D.C. — Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) released the following statement in anticipation of the passage of major gun violence prevention research funding, the first of its kind in 20 years. In March, McBath led her colleagues in a letter to secure the funding for the appropriations process in Fiscal Year 2020. The funding bill will send $25 million to the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health for critical projects. Some of the gun violence prevention funding will go to the CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control in Chamblee, and will support their efforts to find solutions to the gun violence epidemic.

“I came to Washington to help protect our communities and was proud to lead my colleagues in asking for this life-saving research funding. I am thrilled that for the first time in two decades, we have successfully secured that funding, funding that will help us prevent gun violence and keep our families whole,” McBath said. “Every day, nearly 100 Americans are killed by guns, and we have a responsibility to come together and do all we can to find solutions that will help save American lives.  

Of the top 30 causes of death, twenty-nine receive more research funding than guns. The funding package passed as part of the Labor-Health & Human Services-Education Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2020. In June, Rep. McBath spoke on the House floor in support of the passage of this research funding. Watch here or read the transcript below:

 Mister Speaker, I rise today to urge action to end the public health crisis of gun violence.

Every day, nearly 100 people are killed in suicides, homicides, and accidents involving guns. But we have not invested nearly enough in preventing these deaths. Of the top 30 causes of death, twenty-nine receive more research funding than guns. But today, this body will vote to invest in gun violence research at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health.   

I recently visited the Centers for Disease Control Injury Center, which is in my district.  With this critical funding, they will learn how we can prevent gun tragedies. This investment is long overdue, and I was proud to lead my colleagues in asking for this funding.

We have the responsibility to pursue life-saving research, and today we vote to end gun violence. As a survivor of gun violence, I could not be more proud of the measures we have taken to save the countless numbers of lives that may be affected by gun violence in the future. The time has passed for my son, the time has passed for others like my son, who was killed unnecessarily due to gun violence. But I am so grateful for this day. I’m so grateful for the research that will save many lives for generations to come.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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