H.R. 5622: National Gun Violence Research Act of 2025

The National Gun Violence Research Act of 2025 is legislation aimed at addressing gun violence through a coordinated national research program. Key elements of the bill include:

Objectives

• To examine the nature, causes, consequences, and prevention of violence and unintentional injury and death related to gun ownership, use, and trafficking.
• To support research that is not oriented toward promoting or opposing gun control policies but focuses on generating data and insights to inform policy interventions.
• To enhance public health and safety through evidence-based research.

Research Funding and Coordination

• The bill proposes to repeal certain restrictions on federal funding for gun violence research, which have limited research efforts over the past decades.
• Federal agencies, particularly the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health, are authorized to conduct and support research on gun violence.
• A program known as the National Gun Violence Research Program will be established, with funding to support multidisciplinary research and projects related to gun violence.

Establishment of Research Entities

• The bill outlines the creation of interdisciplinary research centers aimed at studying gun violence and its implications.
• Institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations will be eligible to receive grants for gun violence research.

Interagency Collaboration

• An interagency working group will be created to oversee and coordinate gun violence research programs across federal agencies.
• This working group will establish goals and priorities for research efforts and ensure effective collaboration among agencies involved.

Advisory Committee

• The President will establish an advisory committee to provide guidance on research program management, coordination, and the evaluation of research impacts on public health and safety.
• This committee will include representatives from various sectors, including research institutions, healthcare, law enforcement, and community organizations.

Funding Authorization

• The bill authorizes appropriations to fund these research initiatives, including specific amounts allocated to various federal agencies for conducting or supporting gun violence research.
• For example, it allocates $200,000 for each of the fiscal years 2026 through 2031 for the National Gun Violence Research Program.

Implications for Existing Research and Data Access

• The act will lift restrictions on access to gun trace data for researchers, allowing for enhanced analysis and understanding of gun violence dynamics.
• It establishes protocols for sharing data while ensuring ethical research standards are upheld.

Broader Impact

• The legislation recognizes that gun violence disproportionately affects communities of color and aims to generate research that addresses these disparities.
• It emphasizes the need for comprehensive data to inform effective gun violence prevention strategies.

Relevant Companies

• HSIC - Henry Schein, Inc.: As a major supplier of health-related products including safety standards, changes in research and funding might impact their product development related to gun safety.
• DHS - Digital Health Specialties, Inc.: As a company involved in health technology, they could be impacted by new research requirements and collaborations with agencies for health-related technological developments.