Agency activities

(a) National Science Foundation (1) Research The Director of the National Science Foundation shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions)— (A) to support multidisciplinary research to better understand the nature, causes, and consequences of gun violence, including violence, suicide, unintended injury, and death involving guns; (B) to examine the effects of gun policy interventions on— (i) rates of suicide, homicide, and unintended injury and death; (ii) individuals’ ability to use guns for self-defense, hunting, and recreation; and (iii) the gun industry; and (C) to educate and train researchers in the field of violence, including gun violence, research. (2) National Center for Violence Research The Director of the National Science Foundation shall award grants on a competitive basis to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions) to establish one or more centers to conduct multidisciplinary research and education activities in support of the goals and priorities of the Program. Such grants shall be known as National Center for Violence Research Grants. (3) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031. (b) National Institute of Standards and Technology (1) Voluntary consensus standards The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall establish a program to promote the development of voluntary consensus gun safety technical standards. Such program shall include— (A) outreach, coordination, and technical support to relevant industry and nonindustry stakeholders and standards development organizations to assist such entities in the development of voluntary consensus gun safety technical standards; (B) the conduct of research to support efforts to develop and improve such standards and conformity assessment; and (C) the development of such standard reference material as the Director determines is necessary to further the development of such standards. (2) Prohibition on regulation Nothing in this subsection may be construed as conferring upon the Secretary of Commerce any authority to establish or enforce mandatory gun safety standards. (3) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031. (c) Department of Health and Human Services (1) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other scientific agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, shall award grants on a competitive basis to conduct or support research into the nature, causes, consequences, and prevention of gun violence. (2) Appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out this subsection $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031. (d) Department of Justice (1) Research The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Justice, shall conduct or sponsor research into the nature, causes, consequences, and prevention of gun violence. (2) Trace data (A) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall develop consensus protocols for granting researchers access to gun trace data that abide by standard principles for ethical research. (B) Data sharing Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, shall commence sharing with researchers according to the protocols developed under subparagraph (A), the contents of the Firearms Trace System database and information required to be kept by licensees pursuant to section 923(g) of title 18, United States Code, or required to be reported pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (7) of such section 923(g). (3) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.