Brady Applauds Historic Funding for Gun Violence Prevention in Minibus Appropriations Bill

Washington, D.C., July 29, 2021 - Today, Brady applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the minibus appropriations legislation, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, which includes historic funding to address the epidemic of gun violence in America.

Brady President Kris Brown shared:

“The funding bill passed this afternoon addresses some of our nation’s most urgent and pressing health crises, including our on-going gun violence epidemic. This legislation doubles the funding for the CDC and NIH to study gun violence research, funding that was first secured in 2019 after being blocked for over 20 years by rules written by the gun industry. Just as essential, the $115 million for community and youth violence prevention will help to heal communities across the country, addressing the surge in gun violence we have seen this year by tackling its root causes. Further, this legislation makes a critical investment in our veterans’ health and well-being, providing essential funding for mental health and suicide prevention services. These programs are an investment in communities and in the American people. Brady thanks Appropriations Chairwoman Rep. Rosa DeLauro for her outstanding leadership stewarding this bill and all of the gun violence prevention champions on the Appropriations Committee and in the U.S. House for ensuring that this important funding was included in the final act.”

Funds Included in this Bill:

Community and Youth Violence Prevention - This bill includes $115 million to prevent community violence, including $100 million for a new evidence-based community violence intervention initiative at CDC, which aims to prevent interpersonal intentional violence in communities that bear the heaviest burden of gun violence. The bill includes over $15 million in funds for grants to community and hospital-based intervention programs around the country. Community violence prevention models have proven effective and work by implementing public safety measures that are informed by data and carried out by local organizations on the ground in the communities most impacted.

Gun Violence Research - This bill includes $50 million in federal grant funds for research into gun violence prevention, with $25 million going to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and an additional $25 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This doubles the previous funding for this research, which was first appropriated in 2019 after an over 20-year moratorium on such funding due to a conservative interpretation of a provision in the 1996 omnibus spending bill, known as the Dickey Amendment. In 2018, Congress clarified that this provision does not prohibit research into gun violence, clearing the way for Congressional Appropriators to earmark these funds.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - This bill includes an increase of $89 million to enhance the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s (NSPL) infrastructure in preparation for the launch to a new 988 number in July 2022, and over $26 million for the Zero Suicide program.

Veteran Suicide Prevention Services - This legislation includes a total of $13.2 billion for Mental Healthcare for VA, including nearly $600 million for suicide prevention. This bill also includes $1 million for the Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families, the first dedicated funding for the program, and promotes lethal means safety training for those who work closely with veterans.