Gun Control and Social Security Disability Mental Defectives

In my June 8, 2016 blog, I talked a bit about the connection between Social Security (SSA) disability benefits and gun control, essentially that if a person is drawing SSA disability benefits for a mental health issue, among other things, it will pop up on the background check and those individuals may be legally prohibited from purchasing a firearm.

Mental Defectives

The initiative described these people as "mental defectives" in the program's final rules published this past December. The program came about as the result of an executive action by former President Barack Obama, and is set to become active January 18, 2017.

Not surprisingly, this push didn't sit well with certain gun rights groups, among others, and the negative reaction was swift but, to date, ineffective.

Now, however, with the recent instillation of President Donald Trump's administration, opponents of the measure are back in the news hoping the new occupant of the White House will include it along with the several roll backs of executive actions that he promised during his campaign.

Canceling or revamping the Affordable Care Act (warning, PDF) is apparently high on the list, and President Trump has already canceled President Obama's mortgage premium reduction program.

Sure to lead the charge for the program's annulment are the collection of a dozen or so Republican House of Representatives who penned a letter (warning, another PDF) back on July 21, 2015 to the Acting Commissioner of the SSA Carolyn Colvin describing the matter as a "dangerous overreach" that should be abandoned immediately.

With a self-proclaimed champion of the Second Amendment President in office, the possibility of this happening in some form or other appears to be that much greater. Time will tell.

If you or your child have been denied SSA disability benefits or suffer from a severe impairment that is expected to last more than twelve months and that prevents you from doing any of your past or other work or is causing developmental delay in your child, please contact our office nearest to you to set up a free consultation appointment to discuss your situation.