Congressional Resolution Discontinues Policy of Preventing Some With Mental Illness From Obtaining Firearms

On February 28 the President signed a Joint Congressional Resolution, H.J.Res. 40, which allows people determined mentally incapable of managing their affairs to obtain firearms.  The resolution reverses a policy implemented last fall directing the Social Security Administration to provide the names of beneficiaries determined to need a designated payee because of mental incapacity to the National Instant Criminal History Background Check System.  New names will not be added.  The policy affected about 75,000 people.