U.S. federal studies on gun violence banned by Congress for 19 years

[webfact]

Spotlight: U.S. federal studies on gun violence banned by Congress for 19 years
English.news.cn
By Lu Jiafei

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Days after the South Carolina black church massacre in June, a congressional proposal to lift an almost two-decade ban on federal studies about gun violence was raised in Congress without much fanfare. Neither was its blockage.

According to Politico, a U.S. daily specialized in reporting Congress news, the House Appropriations Committee blocked a proposal on June 24 that would have reversed a ban passed by Congress in 1996 on funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study gun violence.

In a report by the Republican-controlled committee on the proposal, Republicans defended the panel's decision as to protect the rights granted by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

"The restriction is to prevent activity that would undertake activities (to include data collection) for current or future research, including under the title 'gun violence prevention,' that could be used in any manner to result in a future policy, guidelines, or recommendations to limit access to guns, ammunition, or to create a list of gun owners," said the report.

Full story: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/06/c_134686281.htm

-- Xinhua 2015-10-06

[bendejo]

Nothing generates curiousity more than saying "don't look at that!"

Afraid something will be discovered, gents?

[JakeSully]

When a lobby group prevents reasoned discussion, prevents studies of the problem from being done, and uses propaganda to re frame the issue, they have some culpability. But what do they do? This:

After every shooting: *stuffing mouth with pizza* Stuff happens! Just buy more guns.. if only more people had a gun, they could defend themselves! *drink Sprite, burp!*

Think you know who I'm talking about.. the NRA!

[Expat1]

The question begs, was that study done similar to the US Govt Marijuana studies?

[oneday]

Every Congressman and Senator that voted for this and constantly vote for NO gun control should be drummed out of Congress.

[FangFerang]

Some people say that "When good men fail to act evil prevails. They should just say evil prevails.

As if mental health and violent criminal history checks would deter responsible user.

[ICECOOL]

I am amazed in light of the US litigious environment that some of the victims families have not taken the US Govt to court and sued for allowing unlawful deaths !

[Emster23]

Need a Snowden type to leak those reports, however few they may be. If NRA (and other groups) weren't allowed to own or at least rent Congress, the US could possibly get its collective act together.

[HerbalEd]

As an American, this sort of thing is embarrassing. Those gun-loving Republicans don't want to be confused by facts, so best to ban studies that collect and review them.

[HerbalEd]

The question begs, was that study done similar to the US Govt Marijuana studies?

When Nixon was in office he commissioned a multi-million-dollar study on Marijuana use in America to be done by a well-balanced panel of experts in medicine, public health, law enforcement, etc..

When the study was completed, without reading it Nixon asked what was the conclusion. He was told the panel's conclusion was that MJ was actually not anywhere as harmful as thought and they recommended it be decriminalized. He said "wrong answer" and threw it in the trash. And that was the end of the study.

The Republicans have done pretty much the same thing with studies on gun violence. Not all of them ... just the vast majority of them.

[notmyself]

Same old, same old.

[sugarcane24]

Every Congressman and Senator that voted for this and constantly vote for NO gun control should be drummed out of Congress.

Gun ownership is enshrined in the constitution, but it should be responsible gun ownership. I understand that in the US one can buy a gun without even a background check. It's nuts! Only in America.....

[sugarcane24]

Without guns, Hollywood would run out of scripts in a week.

And Americans would be lambs to the slaughter... by their own government. This is the very reason why America's founders gave gun ownership top priority - so that US citizens would be able to keep the mafia that runs their country in check!

[notmyself]

Every Congressman and Senator that voted for this and constantly vote for NO gun control should be drummed out of Congress.

Gun ownership is enshrined in the constitution, but it should be responsible gun ownership. I understand that in the US one can buy a gun without even a background check. It's nuts! Only in America.....

There was something about a well regulated militia too.

[chuckd]

As an American, this sort of thing is embarrassing. Those gun-loving Republicans don't want to be confused by facts, so best to ban studies that collect and review them.

And who was the Chief Executive that failed to veto the legislation in 1996?

Hint...his wife is a current candidate for the office.

[OMGImInPattaya]

What's to study...you point a gun at someone and pull the trigger your likely to injure or kill them...don't need some pointy-headed Democratic professor wasting taxpayer funds on a study to tell you that.

[notmyself]

What's to study...you point a gun at someone and pull the trigger your likely to injure or kill them...don't need some pointy-headed Democratic professor wasting taxpayer funds on a study to tell you that.

It could also show that the absurdities propagated by groups such as the NRA are fallacious. Can't have that because the money given to the lying politicians would be reduced.

[MaxYakov]

A proposal to study US gun violence
was blocked by Congressional right-wingers and by prior precedence.
They said we must protect the second amendment
And everything else that is firearm-attendant
(So nothing can interfere with the gun makers' dollars and cents).

[notmyself]

[OMGImInPattaya]

What's to study...you point a gun at someone and pull the trigger your likely to injure or kill them...don't need some pointy-headed Democratic professor wasting taxpayer funds on a study to tell you that.

It could also show that the absurdities propagated by groups such as the NRA are fallacious. Can't have that because the money given to the lying politicians would be reduced.

If you want your preconceived notions confirmed by a "study," hire a Ph.D. type to confirm what you already "know" on your own dime, thank you.