A local member of Congress is lobbying U.S. House leadership to act on gun violence prevention measures.  5th District Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty is calling on House leaders to not include legislative language in upcoming appropriation bills that would block efforts to reduce and prevent gun violence. 

Esty, Vice Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, says these riders have been added without open debate in previous bills, and have acted as roadblocks.  She specifically cited language that's prevent law enforcement and academic institutions from using gun trace data to better understand the pattern of criminal gun transfers. 

Esty says there's no justification for preventing scientific research into the causes of gun violence and restricting the ability to track and combat the spread of illegal guns.