Fringe Pushes Back Against Cornyn’s NICS Background Check Fix

By Bob Owens

I was on vacation last week when Senator John Cornyn introduced a bill that intends to fix holes in the FBI’s NICS background check system, while preventing the Obama Administration’s attempts to abuse the Veterans Administration and Social Security Administration to deny gun rights to millions of citizens.

The Hill partially covered the story.

A top Senate Republican is moving to keep guns out of the hands of people who are mentally ill amid growing calls from gun-safety advocates to strengthen background checks after a series of high-profile mass shootings.

Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), the second-ranking Senate Republican, will introduce legislation Wednesday designed to encourage local communities to identify gun applicants who are seriously mentally ill.

The Mental Health and Safe Communities Act is backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), despite the gun lobby’s fierce resistance to gun control policies. Cornyn notes the legislation will “fix the existing background check system without expanding it.”

The legislation will also provide more treatment options for people who are dangerously mentally ill.

“While potentially dangerous mentally-ill individuals are often known to law enforcement and local officials, gaps in existing law or inadequate resources prevent our communities from taking proactive steps to prevent them from becoming violent,” …read more

Source:: Bearing Arms