Congress' gigantic spending deal looks like it will reverse a 20-year, NRA-fueled ban on gun violence research
- The spending bill set to be released by congressional leaders on Wednesday is expected to include the repeal of a 22-year old provision that prevents the government from studying gun violence.
- The ban's repeal has been a hot topic since the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, in February.
The omnibus spending package released by congressional leaders on Wednesday is expected to reverse a decades-old ban on the federal government's ability to study gun violence.
The bill will adjust language to what is known as the Dickey amendment, a small provision that was attached to an omnibus bill in 1996. It prevents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from studying the health implications of gun violence and says "none of the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be used to advocate or promote gun control."
The language has effectively stopped the CDC from continuing to examine the health outcomes from gun ownership and violence. Revising the provision became a key goal of gun-control advocates amid a spate of mass shootings in recent years, but it has been consistently opposed by the National Rifle Associations and many lawmakers.
The expected fix comes just more than a month after the mass shooting at a high-school in Parkland, Florida, which brought renewed attention to the issue.
In addition to the Dickey amendment reversal, the omnibus bill will also contain a few other gun-related items:
- A measure from Sen. John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican, to fix gaps in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. While the move would not institute universal background checks, it would compel local and state agencies to be more diligent in reporting to the federal system.
- Funding similar to a House-passed bill that increases resources for schools to educate students and teachers on how to respond to gun violence. The measure would also provide grants to schools to improve security measures.
Democrats, particularly Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, advocated for further gun-control measures as part of the bill. Eventually, the two sides settled on the Dickey amendment revision.