Sen. John Cornyn Has a New Bill Aimed at Stopping Gun Violence

[TexasTowelie]

Earlier this month, a lineup in the U.S. Senate press room showed Democrats and Republicans standing together showing rare agreement over a comprehensive criminal justice bill.

On the left, senators spoke about how the bill would reduce instances for non-violent offenders. On the right, Republicans talking about chances to rein in government overreach. "This is the way the system's supposed to work," said the Texas senator, John Cornyn, standing in the middle of the group. "If your attitude is ‘I get everything I want or nothing,’ you'll always get nothing."

That remark was a not-so-subtle jab at another Texas Senator, Ted Cruz, and his all-or-nothing approach when it comes to defunding Planned Parenthood. Well now, Sen. Cornyn thinks he's found bipartisan support for another plan: this one is aimed at the apparent spike in mass shootings.

He's traveling the state, pushing a measure that is aimed at doing something about the problem with gun violence that folks have been talking about quite a bit as of late. Senator Cornyn says his bill, the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act of 2015, tries to find a point of consensus on such a divisive issue.

Read more: http://kut.org/post/sen-john-cornyn-has-new-bill-aimed-stopping-gun-violence

[Ilsa]

1. What does the bill do, I wonder? I have a hard time

trusting that Cornyn will act responsibly.

[Ilsa]

2. Part of it:

“We'd also create a civil mechanism, an outpatient procedure where family members could seek help for their children, their spouse, people who are obviously exhibiting some signs of mental illness and get them to comply with their medication and see the doctor in a way that will hopefully keep them from getting sicker.”

I'm not certain that this is legal. As long as a person is not a threat to oneself or others, I don't believe they can force medication.

[madamesilverspurs]

3. Whose mental health?

If you can't put forth honest gun legislation because you fear losing campaign donations, then you are the one whose mental health we should be worried about. Your job security isn't worth one more child's life.

[Kang Colby]

4. This is a good bipartisan bill.

Here is the full text:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/2002/text#toc-idbf405598bf8a4b10999707d3efb0db6a

[Fred Sanders]

5. The rising swell of anger in America towards gun violence results in deflection to mental health

by the cons...typical pretending to help with the problem while ignoring the problem.....the problem is lack of regulation of guns...duh!

[GGJohn]

6. Of course,

crap all over a reasonable proposal.
Glad you have no vote on our laws.

[Kang Colby]

7. Hey Fred

This bill would strengthen NICS by making it a more complete listing of prohibited individuals. Why wouldn't you support a measure to strengthen background checks?

Here is the full text of the bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/2002/text#toc-idbf405598bf8a4b10999707d3efb0db6a