Last year, the federal government put $25 million into studies of gun violence and prevention of shooting injuries. And it’s doing it again in the newest spending bill just signed by Pres. Trump. That’s a big change since a 1996 law prohibited using federal money to advocate for gun control and it was taken to mean the subject couldn’t be studied either. Sen. Dick Durbin says it’s an issue that affects Illinois.
Studies being funded since the last time cover various topics including suicide prevention, promoting handgun safety, and whether having a parent who’s been in prison makes a teen more likely to use a gun.