Summary Of Why Did The CDC Stop Researching Gun Violence

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Written by Kate Mater’s, the article “Why did the CDC Stop Researching Gun Violence” was published on April 5, 2016 in The Atlantic. The article investigates how the Dickey amendment may have led to the CDC from further conducting research on gun violence, an issue that has escalated more in recent years. The article also states that fatal shootings claim more than 30,000 lives a year, and with such a significant impact on public health, the CDC should claim responsibility to inquire why and how this issue can be resolved. It is through the investigation of how the CDC suddenly stopped researching gun violence that the author concludes the problem is complex than initially thought. Written using several testimonies and different perspectives, …show more content…

The author’s methodology first includes a discussion of the issue at hand leading to a synopsis of why this problem even originated. Additionally, the author presents information on how other people in the field perceive the issue and who is to “blame” through the use of quotes. For example, Mark Rosenberg, the founder of the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control argues that it was the leadership of the CDC who prevented further research on gun violence. On the other hand, another primary speaker, current Injury Center Director Debra Houry has been thought to have defended the agency’s decision by saying it still partakes in data collection of firearm research. After discussing the CDC and the need for it to address an issue like this, the NRA’s influence on the organization is explained. Previous meaningful but hurtful information about firearm possession and its link to homicide triggered the NRA to pressure Congress to halt this type of research done by the CDC, which later resulted in the Dickey Amendment. This specific presentation of information enables the reader to understand how the CDC could justify themselves for not continuing to conduct injury research due to a fear of negative budget cuts from