Week in Review 7-26-2019
Congress has adjourned for their annual summer recess. Our elected officials will travel back to their districts to take a break from the chaos on the Hill and focus on their constituents. They will hold events and town hall meetings. This is your chance for your voice to be heard.
Because they speak for the people, the most important aspect of any member of a representative government, like ours, is that they are accessible to the people whom they represent. This allows them to be of direct service to their constituents and ensures that they are familiar with their issues of concern. Then they can addresses these issues to find solutions in the larger government. (1)
Town halls and office hours are the perfect opportunity for you to urge your officials to support common sense gun legislation. The House has passed expanded background checks. But there is still more that can be done. Unfortunately, the Senate has done NOTHING. They won’t even consider funding research into gun violence.
However, the majority of Americans support increasing federal funding for gun violence prevention research. The House recently passed an appropriations bill which included $50 million in funding for the Center for Disease Control and National Institute of Health to study firearm injury prevention.
Gun violence is a public health crisis in America. We need additional research to guide policy-making. Research and data are integral to prevention. Without adequate resources, researchers are prevented from creating common-sense policies to address this problem.
Research into gun violence receives less funding from the government than research for other major causes of death. Research also suggests that gun violence acts like an infectious disease. If untreated, it spreads within communities from one individual to another.
Tell your Senators you want $50 million dedicated this year to funding gun violence research. The House already approved this amount. Now its time for the Senate to do its job to end gun violence and keep our communities safe.
Gun violence in America is a public health crisis that can be cured.
Click here to find out where a town hall meeting will be held near you.
