FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Doctors for America
PO Box: 21161
2300 18th St NW Lbby
Washington, DC 20009-9996
January 22, 2025
Doctors for America Statement on President Trump Administration’s Efforts on Gun Violence Prevention
Washington, D.C.: Doctors for America (DFA) calls on leaders of all levels, including President Trump, to protect our communities and continue to address the public health crisis of gun violence. As physicians and medical students, we continue to treat preventable injuries caused by firearm violence and we must enact bipartisan solutions. The shooting at President Trump’s rally in 2024 highlights that no one is immune to the ongoing public health crisis.
Under the 117th Congress, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act represented a critical step forward, introducing measures such as strengthened background checks, crisis intervention measures, and efforts to prevent firearms from reaching individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced states could use Medicaid funding for counseling on firearm safety, and a federal gun violence emergency response team was established that provided support after the Kansas City Super Bowl parade shooting.
The creation of the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (WHOGVP) significantly addressed firearm violence in our communities through expanded community violence intervention programs with nationwide decrease of homicides by 11.6% in 2023. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced states could use Medicaid funding for counseling on firearm safety, and a federal gun violence emergency response team was established that provided support after the Kansas City Super Bowl parade shooting. We urge Congress and the Trump Administration to enact evidence-based solutions such as universal background checks and safe firearm storage laws, which have been proven to reduce firearm injuries and death.
Our patients and communities deserve to live in a country without the fear of gun violence. We encourage you to learn more about DFA’s work in gun violence prevention here and join us in ending gun violence.
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About Doctors for America:
Doctors for America mobilizes doctors and medical students to be leaders in putting patients over politics to improve the health of our patients, communities, and nation. We are 27,000 physicians and medical students in all 50 states, representing all areas of specialization. Our impact areas focus on access to affordable care, community health and prevention, and health justice and equity. DFA focuses solely on what is best for our patients, not on the business side of medicine, and does not accept any funding from pharmaceutical or medical device companies; which uniquely positions DFA as the organization that puts patients over politics and patients over profits. Find out more at doctorsforamerica.org and on X @drsforamerica.