,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dce ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #aj1 #bjai,ms4 ,johnson of ,texas introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology1 and ,energy and ,commerce1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to provide for a coordinated national research program to examine the nature1 causes1 consequences1 and prevention of violence and unintended injury and death relating to gun ownership1 use1 and trafficking1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,gun ,violence ,research ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,in the last #ej years1 more individuals in the ,united ,states have died from gunshots than in all wars in which the ,united ,states was a combatant1 combined4 7#b7 ,the rate of gun violence deaths in the ,united ,states is more than double that of other high-income nations4 7#c7 ,guns accounted for #gd percent of homicides and #ea percent of suicides in #bjaf1 totaling over #cg1jjj deaths in the ,united ,states4 7#d7 ,gun violence disproportionately affects racial minorities1 with ,african ,americans comprising nearly #fj percent of homicide victims and #bb percent of unintentional injury deaths in #bjaf4 7#e7 ,provisions in appropriations ,acts dating back to #aiif have had a chilling effect on ,federal funding for research on gun violence across the ,federal ,government and1 as a result1 research on gun violence is significantly underfunded relative to other leading causes of death4 7#f7 ,research examining the nature1 causes1 consequences1 and prevention of gun-related violence1 suicide1 and unintentional injury and death does not constitute advocacy in support of1 or opposition to1 gun control policies or regulations4 7#g7 ,more research and high-quality data relating to gun violence are needed to inform the development of effective strategies to reduce the incidence of gun-related injury and death4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy4 7#b7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74 7#c7 ,program ,the term ,program means the ,national ,gun ,violence ,research ,program established under section #e4 #d4 ,research and data restrictions repeal 7a7 ,gun trace data 7#a7 ,the matter under the heading ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 ,firearms and ,explosives--,salaries and ,expenses in title ,i of division ,b of the ,consolidated and ,further ,continuing ,appropriations ,act1 #bjab 7#ah ,u4,s4,c4 #ibc note2 ,public ,law #aab-ee2 #abe ,stat4 #fji-faj7 is amended by striking the #fth proviso4 7#b7 ,the #fth proviso under the heading ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 ,firearms and ,explosives--,salaries and ,expenses in title ,,ii of division ,b of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjaj 7#ah ,u4,s4,c4 #ibc note2 ,public ,law #aaa-aag2 #abc ,stat4 #cabh-cabi7 is amended by striking beginning in fiscal year #bjaj and thereafter and inserting in fiscal year #bjaj4 7#c7 ,the #fth proviso under the heading ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 ,firearms and ,explosives--,salaries and ,expenses in title ,,ii of division ,b of the ,omnibus ,appropriations ,act1 #bjji 7#ah ,u4,s4,c4 #ibc note2 ,public ,law #aaa-h2 #abc ,stat4 #egd-egf7 is amended by striking beginning in fiscal year #bjji and thereafter and inserting in fiscal year #bjji4 7#d7 ,the #fth proviso under the heading ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 ,firearms and ,explosives--,salaries and ,expenses in title ,,ii of division ,b of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjjh 7#ah ,u4,s4,c4 #ibc note2 ,public ,law #aaj-afa2 #aba ,stat4 #aijc-aijd7 is amended by striking beginning in fiscal year #bjjh and thereafter and inserting in fiscal year #bjjh4 7#e7 ,the #fth proviso under the heading ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 ,firearms and ,explosives--,salaries and ,expenses in title ,i of the ,science1 ,state1 ,justice1 ,commerce1 and ,related ,agencies ,appropriations ,act1 #bjjf 7#ah ,u4,s4,c4 #ibc note2 ,public ,law #aji-ajh2 #aai ,stat4 #bbie-bbif7 is amended by striking with respect to any fiscal year4 7#f7 ,the #fth proviso under the heading in title ,i of division ,b of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjje 7#ah ,u4,s4,c4 #ibc note2 ,public ,law #ajh-ddg2 #aah ,stat4 #bhei-bhfj7 is amended by striking with respect to any fiscal year4 7b7 ,department of ,health and ,human ,services ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 funds made available to the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 including the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and the ,national ,institutes of ,health1 may be used to conduct research with respect to gun violence4 #e4 ,research program 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,president1 acting through the ,director1 shall develop and implement a program to improve public health and safety through research on gun violence 7to be known as the ,national ,gun ,violence ,research ,program71 through activities carried out in collaboration with covered agencies that-- 7#a7 support gun violence research2 7#b7 accelerate the translation of gun violence research into effective policy interventions to reduce the incidence of injury and death related to guns2 7#c7 expand the number of researchers and students in the field of gun violence research2 and 7#d7 improve interagency planning and coordination of ,federal ,government activities relating to gun violence research4 7b7 ,program activities ,a covered agency1 in carrying out activities described in subsection 7a71 shall-- 7#a7 award grants to individual investigators and interdisciplinary teams of investigators for projects related to gun violence research2 7#b7 support projects funded under joint solicitations by a collaboration of no fewer than two covered agencies2 7#c7 establish interdisciplinary research centers that are organized to investigate basic research questions and inform policy decisions relating to gun violence2 7#d7 provide for the education and training of undergraduate students1 graduate students1 and postdoctoral scholars in gun violence research2 and 7#e7 promote the development of voluntary consensus gun safety technical standards4 7c7 ,interagency working group 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president1 acting through the ,national ,science and ,technology ,council1 shall establish an interagency working group on gun violence research4 7#b7 ,composition ,the working group established under this subsection shall be chaired by the ,director and include representatives from-- 7,a7 the ,national ,science ,foundation2 7,b7 the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology2 7,c7 the ,national ,institutes of ,health2 7,d7 the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention2 7,e7 the ,national ,institute of ,justice2 and 7,f7 any other ,federal agency 7including an agency1 department1 or service thereof7 that the ,director considers appropriate4 7#c7 ,duties ,the ,working ,group shall-- 7,a7 oversee the planning1 management1 and coordination of the ,program2 7,b7 provide for coordination among covered agencies of ,federal gun violence research and other activities undertaken pursuant to the ,program2 7,c7 establish and periodically update goals and priorities for the ,program2 7,d7 develop1 not later than #ab months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and update every #e years1 a strategic plan to guide the activities of the ,program to meet the goals and priorities established under subparagraph 7,c74 7d7 ,advisory committee 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president1 acting through the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy1 shall establish an advisory committee on gun violence research4 7#b7 ,composition ,the advisory committee established under paragraph 7#a7 shall be composed of not less than #ab members1 including representatives of research institutions1 institutions of higher education1 industry1 law enforcement1 and relevant nonprofit organizations who are qualified to provide advice on the ,program4 7#c7 ,duties ,the advisory committee established under subsection 7a7 shall assess-- 7,a7 the management1 coordination1 implementation1 and activities of the ,program2 7,b7 the balance of activities and funding across the ,program2 7,c7 whether the ,program priorities and goals developed by the working group established under subsection 7c77#c7 are helping to improve public health and safety2 and 7,d7 the need to revise the ,program4 7e7 ,covered agency defined ,in this section1 the term covered agency means-- 7#a7 the ,national ,science ,foundation2 7#b7 the ,national ,institute for ,standards and ,technology2 7#c7 the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention2 7#d7 the ,national ,institutes of ,health2 7#e7 the ,national ,institute of ,justice2 and 7#f7 such other ,federal agency as determined appropriate by the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy4 7f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,director to carry out this section #bjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbd4 #f4 ,agency activities 7a7 ,national ,science ,foundation 7#a7 ,research ,the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall award grants1 on a competitive basis1 to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations 7or consortia of such institutions or organizations7-- 7,a7 to support multidisciplinary research to better understand the nature1 causes1 and consequences of violence1 including violence1 suicide1 unintended injury1 and death involving guns2 7,b7 to examine the effects of gun policy interventions on-- 7i7 rates of suicide1 homicide1 and unintended injury and death2 7ii7 individuals' ability to use guns for self-defense1 hunting1 and recreation2 and 7iii7 the gun industry2 and 7,c7 to educate and train researchers in the field of violence1 including gun violence1 research4 7#b7 ,national ,center for ,violence ,research ,the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall award grants on a competitive basis to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations 7or consortia of such institutions or organizations7 to establish one or more centers to conduct multidisciplinary research and education activities in support of the goals and priorities of the ,program 7to be known as ,national ,center for ,violence ,research74 7#c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection #ae1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbd4 7b7 ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology 7#a7 ,voluntary consensus standards ,the ,secretary of ,commerce1 acting through the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology1 shall establish a program to promote the development of voluntary consensus gun safety technical standards4 ,such effort shall include-- 7,a7 outreach1 coordination1 and technical support to relevant industry and nonindustry stakeholders and standards development organizations to assist such entities in the development of voluntary consensus gun safety technical standards2 7,b7 the conduct of research to support efforts to develop and improve such standards and conformity assessment2 and 7,c7 the development of such standard reference material as the ,director determines is necessary to further the development of such standards4 7#b7 ,prohibition on regulation ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed as conferring upon the ,secretary of ,commerce any authority to establish or enforce mandatory gun safety standards4 7#c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection #a1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbd4 7c7 ,department of ,health and ,human ,services 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,director of the ,national ,institutes of ,health1 the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 and other scientific agencies within the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 shall award grants on a competitive basis to conduct or support research into the nature1 causes1 consequences1 and prevention of gun violence4 7#b7 ,appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services to carry out this subsection #bj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbd4 7d7 ,department of ,justice 7#a7 ,research ,the ,attorney ,general of the ,united ,states1 acting through the ,national ,institute of ,justice1 shall conduct or sponsor research into the nature1 causes1 consequences1 and prevention of gun violence4 7#b7 ,competition ,the ,attorney ,general of the ,united ,states1 acting through the ,national ,institute of ,justice1 shall sponsor an inducement prize competition under section #bd of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgai7 to demonstrate through testing and evaluation the reliability of guns and gun accessories with integrated advanced gun safety technology 7commonly referred to as smart guns1 user-authorized handguns1 childproof guns1 and personalized guns74 7#c7 ,trace data 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general1 in collaboration with the ,secretary of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 shall develop consensus protocols for granting researchers access to gun trace data while protecting the confidentiality of gun owners and dealers4 7,b7 ,data sharing ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,attorney ,general1 acting through the ,bureau of ,alcohol1 ,tobacco1 ,firearms1 and ,explosives1 shall commence sharing with researchers according to the protocols developed under subparagraph 7,a71 the contents of the ,firearms ,trace ,system database and information required to be kept by licensees pursuant to section #ibc7;g7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 or required to be reported pursuant to paragraphs 7#c7 and 7#g7 of such section #ibc7;g74 7#d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection #c1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbd4