Congressional subcommittee organizes first meeting on gun violence as a public-health issue

The first meeting of the congressional subcommittee was organized at Kennedy-King College on the South Side of Chicago. Testimony was offered in the meeting which suggested that gun violence should be treated as a viral outbreak. The testimony also suggested that gun violence was an epidemic.

Dr. Selwyn Rogers Jr., the University of Chicago Medical Center’s trauma professor, said, “When we look at gun violence as a disease, that means it can be treated and it can be cured.” Bobby Bush, a US Representative, was the host of the meeting. He lost his son in a gun violence incident ten years ago. The meeting was organized in his congressional district as a meeting of the Subcommittee on Health under the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

US Rep. Rogers said, “We are still working to resolve this problem in our nation after ten years (of his loss).” Anna Eshoo, a US Rep. from California, said that it was the first of the committee on gun violence as a public health issue. She is also the chairwoman of the subcommittee. The main title for the meeting was “A Public Health Crisis: The Gun Violence Epidemic in America”. She talked about data collection for the research on the base of facts.

Rogers said that there was so much about the gun violence which was needed to be understood. He added that there was a clear need for research on gun violence. Danny Davis, a US Rep. from Chicago, said, “Gun Violence is a crisis.” Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a US Rep. from Chicago, said, “Gun violence is ravaging our communities.”

The gun industry has played a negative role in gun violence. The industry allowed the government to pass legislation that prevents the government to invest in the research of the issue. Dr. Niva Lubin-Johnson, National Medical Association’s former president, said, “National Rifle Association tweeted last year in which it told the anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane.” Jan Schakowsky, US Rep. from Evanston, said, “It demands a sense of urgency right now.”