I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3926 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for better understanding 

of the epidemic of gun violence, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 4, 2015 

Mr. HONDA (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. HASTINGS, 

Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico, Mr. 

VAN HOLLEN, Mr. MURPHY of Florida, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. RICHMOND, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Ms. EDWARDS, 

Ms. MOORE, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. 

VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. ESTY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. FARR, Ms. CASTOR of 

Florida, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. RUSH, Mr. SIRES, Mr. NORCROSS, Mr. 

MEEKS, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. 

RUPPERSBERGER, and Mr. MOULTON) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 

better understanding of the epidemic of gun violence, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Gun Violence Research 

5 Act’’. 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3926 IH

1 SEC. 2. REAFFIRMING RESEARCH AUTHORITY OF THE CEN2 TERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVEN3 TION. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 391 of the Public Health 

5 Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b) is amended— 

6 (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘research 

7 relating to the causes, mechanisms, prevention, diag8 nosis, treatment of injuries, and rehabilitation from 

9 injuries;’’ and inserting ‘‘research, including data 

10 collection, relating to— 

11 ‘‘(A) the causes, mechanisms, prevention, 

12 diagnosis, and treatment of injuries, including 

13 with respect to gun violence; and 

14 ‘‘(B) rehabilitation from such injuries;’’; 

15 and 

16 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub17 section: 

18 ‘‘(c) NO ADVOCACY OR PROMOTION OF GUN CON19 TROL.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to— 

20 ‘‘(1) authorize the Secretary to give assistance, 

21 make grants, or enter into cooperative agreements or 

22 contracts for the purpose of advocating or promoting 

23 gun control; or 

24 ‘‘(2) permit a recipient of any assistance, grant, 

25 cooperative agreement, or contract under this section 

26 to use such assistance, grant, agreement, or contract 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3926 IH

1 for the purpose of advocating or promoting gun con2 trol.’’. 

3 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 

4 394A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b– 

5 3) is amended by striking ‘‘authorized to be appropriated’’ 

6 and all that follows through the end and inserting the fol7 lowing: ‘‘authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 

8 be necessary for fiscal years 2016 through 2020.’’. 

9 SEC. 3. NATIONAL VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING SYSTEM. 

10 The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 

11 through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control 

12 and Prevention, shall improve, particularly through the in13 clusion of additional States, the National Violent Death 

14 Reporting System, as authorized by title III of the Public 

15 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.). Participation 

16 in the system by the States shall be voluntary. 

17 SEC. 4. PROTECTING CONFIDENTIAL DOCTOR-PATIENT RE18 LATIONSHIP. 

19 Section 2717(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 

20 U.S.C. 300gg–17(c)) is amended by adding at the end the 

21 following new paragraph: 

22 ‘‘(6) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Notwith23 standing the previous provisions of this subsection, 

24 none of the authorities provided to the Secretary 

25 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3926 IH

1 Act, an amendment made by that Act, or this sub2 section shall be construed to prohibit a physician or 

3 other health care provider from— 

4 ‘‘(A) asking a patient about the ownership, 

5 possession, use, or storage of a firearm or am6 munition in the home of such patient; 

7 ‘‘(B) speaking to a patient about gun safe8 ty; or 

9 ‘‘(C) reporting to the authorities a pa10 tient’s threat of violence.’’. 

Æ 


SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS