Another terrifying
incident at the hands of a gunman, another victim and another unwanted headline.
Curbing
mass shootings in America has become a significant goal for Congress,
particularly since the tragedy that befell Sandy Hook Elementary in
December 2012. Since that fateful day, several liberal legislators have
introduced gun control legislation that, while often introduced out of
compassion, unnecessarily burdens Americans who own firearms. Does New
York’s
SAFE Act ring a bell?
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX), however, is now taking a
different approach
in the effort to combat gun violence. On Wednesday, he unveiled his
Mental Health and Safe Communities Act, which would have the following
impact on gun purchases:
But the bill would clarify the types of mental health records
required to be forwarded to the National Instant Criminal Background
Check System -- an issue raised in the recent shooting in Lafayette, La.
-- and encourage states to send more information to the database by
creating a stick-and-carrot compliance system. It would also encourage
"best practices" for responding to mental health crises, including the
use of specially trained response teams by federal and local law
enforcement agencies.
States that comply with the program will receive up to
5 percent more government grants, while states that don’t send adequate amounts of data will be penalized.
The Washington Post argues that, while Cornyn’s legislation would address the mental health issue, it stops short of helping prevent another
Charleston
because it does not expand background checks.
However, as Matt pointed
out in June, this policy, along with other anti-gun proposals from
President Obama, would have done
nothing to stop Dylann Roof from unleashing fire in Mother Emanuel Church.
Cornyn, who has an A-plus rating from the National Rifle Association, has already earned the organization’s support.
Jennifer Baker, spokeswoman for NRA legislative affairs, said the
bill took “meaningful steps toward fixing the system and making our
communities safer.”
Cornyn’s bill is being viewed as a less strict version of Sen. Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY)
offering on Monday.
The
parties may not agree on the specifics when it comes to curtailing mass
shootings, but at least some degree of bipartisanship overlap seems to
be surfacing in the effort to prevent this senseless violence.
Another terrifying incident at the hands of a gunman, another victim and another unwanted headline.
So, in the wake of Center for Medical Progress’ Planned
Parenthood videos, New Hampshire has decided to defund the organization
(via WMUR):
