Republican Omnibus Bill Will Authorize CDC to Perform 'Gun Violence Research'

Republicans will be using the omnibus bill to clarify that the Centers for Control and Prevention (CDC) can perform “gun violence research.”

The Democrats wanted a full repeal of the Dickey Amendment, and Republicans demurred but met them halfway by agreeing to make it clear that the CDC is not barred from doing the research.

The Dickey Amendment, named after the late Rep. Jay Dickey (R-AR), was put into a funding bill in 1996 and has been renewed every year since. It says, “None of the funds made available in this title may be used, in whole or in part, to advocate or promote gun control.”

According to The Hill, Democrats claim the amendment put “a chilling effect” on gun violence research. Republicans responded by suggesting that the only censorship faced by the CDC was “self-censorship.”

President Obama asked the Republican-controlled Congress to fund gun violence research fiscal years 2014 through 2017, but Congress refused. Now, however, the Republicans are prepared to clarify that the CDC is not barred from doing “gun violence research,” even with the Dickey Amendment in place.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.