Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Clinton) wants to end a 22-year restriction that bans 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,” said Lance, who urged U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar to allow his staff to research the causes of gun violence.
Lance says that as part of his own effort to curb gun violence, he Lance introduced legislation aimed at expanding access to mental health services throughout the country. The Excellence in Mental Health Act, signed by President Obama, provides additional federal funding for community mental health centers to serve an additional 1.5 million patients annually.