Braden Langley, host of the YouTube channel Langley Outdoors Academy, is pulling no punches. On his show, he praised a group of Republican lawmakers for finally pushing back against what he calls the “scam” of the so-called gun violence epidemic. According to Langley, the Biden administration weaponized public health institutions like the CDC and NIH to funnel taxpayer money into gun control efforts, a move that may violate federal law. “It was a slush fund,” Langley stated. “They manipulated the CDC and NIH against the American people.”
The flashpoint for this growing backlash? A letter led by Rep. Diana Harshbarger and signed by 14 other House Republicans demanding that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shut down what they call illegal gun control operations hiding under the guise of public health initiatives.
Turning the Tables on Federal Overreach
Langley emphasized the strategic power play this letter represents: by leveraging public health authority, anti-gun policymakers smuggled gun control efforts into federal spending. But now that RFK Jr. controls the Department of Health and Human Services, Republicans are asking him to reverse these policies “with the stroke of a pen.” Langley applauded this move. “If you leverage the sources of power against us, we’re going to leverage them right back.”
The key demand in Harshbarger’s letter is that RFK Jr. reverse the Biden-era policy declaring gun violence a public health crisis – a narrative that has enabled massive taxpayer spending on research and policy work that ultimately advocates for gun restrictions.
The Dickey Amendment Was Violated, Langley Says
Langley points to the Dickey Amendment, a 1996 provision that explicitly bars the federal government from using CDC funds to promote gun control. That legal firewall was ignored, according to the letter’s signatories. “They did it anyway,” Langley said. “And now it’s time to clean house.”
The Dickey Amendment was put in place precisely to avoid what’s happening now – government-funded research being weaponized to push gun control. Langley argues that the CDC and NIH violated this boundary, essentially turning into advocacy arms for anti-gun organizations.
How Advocacy Groups Quietly Took the Wheel
Langley didn’t mince words about who’s been driving this agenda. He called out Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, Moms Demand Action, and March for Our Lives as the puppet masters behind the Biden administration’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. According to Langley, these groups pushed the CDC to delete self-defense statistics from its website – data that would support the case for responsible civilian firearm ownership.
“That’s right,” Langley said, “they removed the facts that didn’t help their argument and left the ones that did.”
Follow the Money: The $1.1 Million Research Scandal
Among the more damning revelations in the letter were specific examples of how gun control efforts were being disguised as academic research. Langley cited $428,000 to study “episodic crime reports” and over $1.1 million spent examining links between lawful gun ownership and perceived risk. “They’re not just pushing a narrative,” he said. “They’re doing it with your money.”
And the scope didn’t stop at national policy. Hundreds of thousands more were spent studying gun confiscation laws in blue states like Michigan and California. “This isn’t medical research,” Langley said. “It’s gun control wrapped in a lab coat.”
Reinstating the Truth About Self-Defense
One of the key asks from the GOP lawmakers is to reinstate censored self-defense statistics to the CDC website. Langley wholeheartedly agrees. “You can’t have a fair debate when the most important facts are being buried,” he said. These statistics offer a critical counterweight to the narrative that guns only do harm.
Restoring these data points is about ensuring the American public sees the full picture. When used properly, self-defense incidents are not only frequent, but overwhelmingly successful in stopping crimes without even firing a shot.
GOA Steps In With Smarter Alternatives
Langley gave a shoutout to Gun Owners of America (GOA), noting the organization’s role in pushing for policy alternatives that would stay within the legal boundaries of public health funding. Among their suggestions: study the effects of gun-free zones, media coverage of mass shootings, and better treatment protocols for firearm injuries.
According to Langley, this approach offers something constructive while stripping away the manipulation. “They’re even giving them options, which honestly is really smart,” he said. “Go team.”
A Rare Strategic Win in the Culture War
Langley stressed that this is what winning looks like – not flashy headlines, but strategic moves that undermine the opposition’s infrastructure. By removing the “public health crisis” designation, the money dries up and advocacy efforts collapse. Langley even referenced how March for Our Lives had to lay off 13 of its 16 employees. “That’s how you win,” he said. “You choke off the funding, and it dies on the vine.”
He urged Republicans to continue this kind of legislative grind. “Move the ball down the field, inch by inch. And when they get power again, make them work all the way back from the practice stadium.”
A Case Study in Narrative Control
Langley emphasized that the gun control movement isn’t winning through direct legislation – they’re winning through control of the narrative. By inserting their agenda into health research and public data, they create a perception of crisis. “If the information doesn’t fit their narrative, they delete it,” Langley warned.
This is why, he says, restoring that data and exposing the misuse of federal funds is not just bureaucratic cleanup – it’s a direct challenge to the power of narrative itself.
What Comes Next? Kennedy’s Role Is Crucial
The letter places the burden squarely on RFK Jr., and Langley made clear this is a litmus test. “If RFK is serious about protecting constitutional rights,” he said, “he’ll put an end to this right now.” So far, Kennedy hasn’t publicly responded, but all eyes are on him.
As Langley sees it, this is a major opportunity for RFK Jr. to demonstrate his independence from the entrenched political class and establish himself as someone who values constitutional rights over partisan politics.
A Long-Overdue Reckoning
In Langley’s view, this is a long-overdue reckoning with the quiet war waged against the Second Amendment. “For years we’ve been shouting into the wind,” he said. “Now lawmakers are finally catching up.”
While it remains to be seen whether RFK Jr. will take action, the letter and the conversation around it mark a turning point. Gun rights advocates aren’t just reacting anymore – they’re going on offense.
Langley ended with a familiar refrain to his viewers: stay informed, stay active, and stay armed with facts. “This is how we win,” he said. “Not just yelling online, but applying real pressure in real places.”
And for once, Congress may actually be listening.
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Raised in a small Arizona town, Kevin grew up surrounded by rugged desert landscapes and a family of hunters. His background in competitive shooting and firearms training has made him an authority on self-defense and gun safety. A certified firearms instructor, Kevin teaches others how to properly handle and maintain their weapons, whether for hunting, home defense, or survival situations. His writing focuses on responsible gun ownership, marksmanship, and the role of firearms in personal preparedness.