Gun Violence Research Act

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for better understanding of the epidemic of gun violence, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Gun Violence Research Act 2. Reaffirming research authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a) In general Section 391 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 280b (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking research relating to the causes, mechanisms, prevention, diagnosis, treatment of injuries, and rehabilitation from injuries; research, including data collection, relating to— (A) the causes, mechanisms, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries, including with respect to gun violence; and (B) rehabilitation from such injuries; ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) No advocacy or promotion of gun control Nothing in this section shall be construed to— (1) authorize the Secretary to give assistance, make grants, or enter into cooperative agreements or contracts for the purpose of advocating or promoting gun control; or (2) permit a recipient of any assistance, grant, cooperative agreement, or contract under this section to use such assistance, grant, agreement, or contract for the purpose of advocating or promoting gun control. . (b) Authorization of appropriations Section 394A of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 280b–3 authorized to be appropriated authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2016 through 2020. 3. National violent death reporting system The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall improve, particularly through the inclusion of additional States, the National Violent Death Reporting System, as authorized by title III of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 241 et seq. 4. Protecting confidential doctor-patient relationship Section 2717(c) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300gg–17(c) (6) Rule of construction Notwithstanding the previous provisions of this subsection, none of the authorities provided to the Secretary under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, an amendment made by that Act, or this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a physician or other health care provider from— (A) asking a patient about the ownership, possession, use, or storage of a firearm or ammunition in the home of such patient; (B) speaking to a patient about gun safety; or (C) reporting to the authorities a patient’s threat of violence. .

Summary: Gun Violence Research Act This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to specifically include injuries from gun violence as a research subject for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nothing in the CDC's research authorization may be construed to authorize support for advocacy or promotion of gun control. The CDC must improve the National Violent Death Reporting System, particularly through the voluntary participation of additional states. Nothing in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may be construed to prohibit a health care provider from discussing guns or gun safety with a patient or reporting a patient's threat of violence.