President Trump’s decision to freeze all federal grants and loans has shocked countless communities, professions, and communities. 

Now, the federal government has shown a willingness to weaponize policy against vulnerable populations, including clinical trial patients, grant-dependent students, and university staff whose jobs rely on promised funds.

For those of us in gun violence research, this federal hostility is tragically familiar.

Decades of limited funding under the Dickey Amendment starved our field in the 90s, as it prohibited the use of federal funds to advocate gun control. Yet even after its repeal, resources remain woefully inadequate.

In this challenging environment, New Jersey has been a rare beacon of hope. Gov. Phil Murphy’s establishment and ongoing support of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center (GVRC) at Rutgers have provided a lifeline for critical research that informs policy on suicide prevention, community violence, domestic violence, and other pressing issues.

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