Newswise — WASHINGTON – Following is the statement of Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association, regarding House passage of H.R. 8, a bill to require universal background checks before gun sales:
“Expanding background checks for all gun sales is a smart, evidence-based strategy that we believe will result in less gun violence in America,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. “Science tells us that to reduce gun violence, we must take a public health approach, which entails conducting rigorous research to define the problem, identifying risk and protective factors, and developing, implementing and evaluating prevention strategies. The latter include preventing guns from getting into the hands of people with a history of violence. Universal background checks will help make this happen.”
The bill, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, passed the House of Representatives 240-190. It would require federal background checks on all gun sales, including private transactions and at gun shows. However, there would be some notable exemptions to those checks, such as transfers between family members or temporary use of a gun for hunting. Federally licensed gun sellers are required to run background checks on people who buy guns, but private sellers who are not federally licensed do not. Gun violence prevention groups estimate that roughly one-fifth or more of gun sales do not include background checks.
APA supports research- and evidence-based public policies to reduce gun violence. These include increasing funds for scientific research across federal agencies into the causes and prevention of violence and more funding for the National Violent Death Reporting System to support nationwide expansion.
The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes nearly 118,400 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.
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