August 5, 2025
Mr. DeSaulnier introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
To establish a Gun Safety Board, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Gun Safety Board and Research Act
.
Sec. 2. Gun Safety Board
(a) Establishment
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, establish a board to be known as the Gun Safety Board.
(b) Duties
The Gun Safety Board shall—
(1)
not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, establish a program that uses not less than half of the amounts appropriated under this Act to provide grants that recipients shall use to—
(A)
conduct original research about firearm violence reduction (including research about topics identified for additional research by the Gun Safety Board under paragraph (3)); and
(B)
educate members of the public about—
(i)
causes and effects of firearm violence; and
(ii)
ways to reduce firearm violence;
(2)
conduct original research about firearm violence reduction; and
(3)
publish in the Federal Register and on a public website of the Department of Health and Human Services, not less frequently than annually—
(A)
policy and funding recommendations for potential Federal, State, and local action based on available scientific research about firearm violence reduction;
(B)
a list of subject areas related to firearm violence reduction that the Gun Safety Board finds would benefit from additional scientific research; and
(C)
the Gun Safety Board’s findings about the efficacy of existing State and Federal laws intended to reduce firearm violence, and the expected efficacy of proposed State and Federal legislation intended to reduce firearm violence, in reducing—
(i)
domestic violence;
(ii)
suicide and attempted suicide;
(iii)
chronic community violence;
(iv)
police violence;
(v)
mass shootings;
(vi)
hate crimes;
(vii)
school shootings;
(viii)
health care-related expenditures (including lost days of work and other indirect expenditures) for victims of firearm-caused injuries;
(ix)
hospital interventions;
(x)
broader socioeconomic impacts of chronic gun violence;
(xi)
diversions of firearms, including straw purchasing and gun trafficking; and
(xii)
unintentional shootings.
(c) Membership
(1) Number and appointment
The Gun Safety Board shall be composed of 22 members appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(2) Composition
The members shall include—
(A)
1 member with expertise in public health;
(B)
1 member with expertise in mental health care;
(C)
1 member with expertise in firearm violence reduction research;
(D)
1 member with expertise in trauma surgery;
(E)
1 member with expertise in law enforcement;
(F)
1 member with a background in firearm manufacturing, firearm sales, professional firearm use, or recreational firearm use;
(G)
2 members representing victims of firearm violence;
(H)
1 member representing a nonprofit organization that advocates for racial justice;
(I)
1 member representing a nonprofit organization that advocates or engages in firearm violence intervention or prevention; and
(J)
1 member from each of—
(i)
the National Institutes of Health;
(ii)
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(iii)
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration;
(iv)
the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission;
(v)
the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(vi)
the Department of Health and Human Services;
(vii)
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives within the Department of Justice;
(viii)
the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention within the Department of Justice;
(ix)
the Bureau of Justice Assistance within the Department of Justice;
(x)
the Office for Victims of Crime within the Department of Justice;
(xi)
the Office on Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice; and
(xii)
the National Institute of Justice within the Department of Justice.
(d) Terms
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), each member shall be appointed for a term of 4 years.
(2) Terms of initial appointees
As designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services at the time of appointment, of the members first appointed—
(A)
7 shall be appointed for a term of 4 years;
(B)
6 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years;
(C)
5 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years; and
(D)
4 shall be appointed for a term of 1 year.
(3) Vacancies
Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A vacancy shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
(e) Basic pay
Members shall be paid at a rate set by the Secretary of Health and Human Services that is consistent with title 5, United States Code.
(f) Travel expenses
Each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
(g) Chair
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall designate 1 member to serve as chair of the Gun Safety Board.
(h) Vice Chair
The members of the Gun Safety Board shall elect 1 member to serve as vice chair of the Gun Safety Board.
(i) Meetings
The Board shall meet at least once each month at the call of the chair.
(j) Staff
The chair may appoint and, consistent with title 5, United States Code, fix the pay of additional personnel as the chair considers appropriate.
(k) Firearm
For the purposes of this Act, the term firearm shall have the meaning given the term in section 921 of title 18, United States Code.
(l) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $5,000,000 for each of the first 2 fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act, and $25,000,000 for each fiscal year thereafter.
(m) Prohibition on diversion of other Federal gun violence research funds
The amounts made available for Federal gun violence research other than under this Act shall not be reduced in order to provide funds to carry out this Act.