Obama Seeks Tighter Mental Health Restrictions on Guns

[Purveyor]

By Margaret Talev - Jan 3, 2014

The Obama administration announced steps today aimed at keeping firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill, while President Barack Obama again urged Congress to pass broader gun control legislation.

The Department of Justice is proposing to change rules for the federal background check system to clarify who under U.S. law is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of mental health problems.

The Department of Health and Human Services is proposing a regulation aimed at making it easier for states to submit information about the mentally ill to the federal system, without blocking all people who seek mental health treatment from owning guns.

“The administration is committed to making sure that anyone who may pose a danger to themselves or others does not have access to a gun,” according to the White House statement. “The federal background check system is the most effective way to assure that such individuals are not able to purchase a firearm from a licensed gun dealer.”

Unable to win passage of gun-control legislation following the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school in December 2012, Obama announced last year that he would begin using executive authority to tighten firearms regulation.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-03/obama-seeks-tighter-mental-health-restrictions-on-guns.html

[darkangel218]

1. Thats great, i completely agree.

I hope he's succesful in making this change.

[NYC_SKP]

3. It's a start, but we also need to provide services to folks who already own firearms.

Like the poor miner in West Virginia, Bobby Hatcher.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1172134986

[shenmue]

2. I hope he wins this one

[kelly1mm]

4. This article is VERY short on specifics. It does not say what changes the administration

is proposing to make it easier to submit info about the mentally ill. Does anyone know what it is now and what they want to change it too?

[X_Digger]

5. I had the same questions.. USC 922 is pretty straightforward. n/t

[Eleanors38]

6. Lack of specifics usually points to Fifth Amendment shenanigans.

[kelly1mm]

7. Agree .... and my fear as well. Some posters think anything called gun control = good. nt

[gejohnston]

8. this seems to be a rough draft of the proposal for comments.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2014-00039.pdf