Rep. Lance Wants To Lift Federal Ban On Gun Violence Research

WESTFIELD, NJ — Following the mass shooting at a Florida school on Valentine's Day, Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) wants to end a 22-year restriction that forbids the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from studying the links between mental health and gun violence.

“By removing restrictions that prevent the federal government from studying mental health issues that lead to gun violence, congress could have a clearer picture of what effective policies and solutions might be taken to stem the tide of violence,” stated Lance.

Seventeen people were killed during a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. At least 14 other people were hospitalized late Wednesday night, according to a Patch report. The shooting happened after a fire alarm was pulled, prompting students and staff at the school to evacuate. The accused gunman is a former student at the school.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said he would allow his department to conduct research into the causes of gun violence.

“I agree with Secretary Azar — it’s time to permit the CDC to study gun violence as a public health problem,” Lance added.

In the past Lance has introduced legislation that was signed into law by President Obama aimed at expanding access to mental health services throughout the country. The Excellence in Mental Health Act is providing additional federal funding for community mental health centers to serve an additional 1.5 million patients annually.

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