National Gun Violence Research Act of 2025
Latest action: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (2025-09-30)
View the official record →In plain English
What this bill does
This bill creates a coordinated federal research program on gun violence, directing agencies like the National Science Foundation, CDC, NIH, NIST, and the National Institute of Justice to fund and conduct research into the causes, consequences, and prevention of gun-related injury and death. It removes long-standing appropriations restrictions on how firearms tracing data can be used and clarifies that HHS funds may be spent on gun violence research. It also authorizes grants, research centers, an interagency working group, an advisory committee, and voluntary (non-mandatory) gun safety technical standards.
Who it affects
It would most directly affect researchers, universities, and federal science and justice agencies, as well as the ATF, which would share firearms trace data with researchers under new protocols.
Key points
- Repeals or narrows appropriations provisions that had limited the use of ATF firearms tracing data, and directs ATF to share trace data with researchers under ethical protocols.
- States that HHS funds, including CDC and NIH, may be used to research gun violence.
- Establishes a National Gun Violence Research Program with an interagency working group and advisory committee to coordinate federal research.
- Authorizes competitive grants and research centers through NSF, HHS, and DOJ to study the nature, causes, consequences, and prevention of gun violence.
- Directs NIST to support development of voluntary gun safety standards, while barring it from setting or enforcing mandatory standards; authorizes roughly $44 million per year across agencies for fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
Plain-English summary generated by AI from the official record. Neutral by design; verify against the official text linked above.
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If you support this
Supporting this bill means backing federal funding and coordination for gun violence research, lifting restrictions on the use of firearms trace data, and allowing that data to be shared with researchers.
If you oppose this
Opposing this bill means keeping the current limits on firearms trace data and not creating this new federally funded gun violence research program and grants.
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