Everytown Statement on New Mental Health and Safe Communities Act

NEW YORK — Everytown for Gun Safety today released the below statement from President John Feinblatt on Congresswoman Martha McSally’s new gun bill, the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act. This bill is the House version of Senator Cornyn’s gun bill, S.2002, which he introduced in August. Everytown’s analysis of the dangerous provisions of S.2002 is available here.

STATEMENT FROM JOHN FEINBLATT, PRESIDENT OF EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY:

“Barely a week after our nation’s most recent mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, the introduction of the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act is the latest attempt by the gun lobby to deflect attention away from what’s most important: keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals who shouldn’t have had access to firearms in the first place.

“Make no mistake: this proposed legislation is masquerading as a background check bill but, if passed, it would actually weaken our country’s gun laws and make it easier for people with dangerous mental illness to get ahold of guns. The bill would narrow the universe of people prohibited from possessing guns, invalidate many mental health records currently in the background check system and allow individuals involuntarily committed to psychiatric hospitals to buy guns immediately after their release.”