On its face value many people may have an easy answer to this question, but like everything else there are degrees to what the question asks. Certainly not all people who suffer from mental illness are the same, so there really is not a clear cut answer to this question, but it is something Congress is looking at right now.
At the beginning of this year President Barack Obama announced that Social Security should begin the process of notifying the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, in some cases, about the appointment of a representative payee for a Social Security recipients. Social Security appoints payees for the disabled who are mentally incompetent and unable to handle their own finances. The thought is that someone who is mentally disabled and unable to handle finances should not be allowed to purchase firearms.
As you may expect, right-wing Republicans and the National Rifle Association are usually against any attempt to limit the purchase of firearms in any way, no matter to whom. There are bills right now that are floating around Congress addressing mental health issues related to law enforcement and even a bill introduced by a Republican congressman that “encourages states to share more mental health records for use in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.” Before anyone gets too excited believing the Republicans actually want to limit firearms to some mentally ill Americans, keep in mind that Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed his belief that the bill would have the opposite impact.
“I’d like to make it clear while there’s broad bipartisan consensus for provisions that include how we treat mental illness, that consensus does not exist for provisions that make it easier for mentally ill individuals to get guns,” he said.
To look at some of the legislation proposed to deal with the subject click here.
