Today in @HouseJudiciary we’re marking up my bipartisan Preventing Suicide Through Voluntary Firearm Purchase Delay Act.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) December 7, 2022
In 2021, 26,000 Americans died by suicide with a gun. This bill, which I’m proud to lead with @RepJohnCurtis, would help to address this crisis & save lives. pic.twitter.com/AzTD6PDUgZ
This past Wednesday, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee advanced legislation to have the attorney general establish a federally-controlled database of people who freely agree to surrender their Second Amendment rights.
Those on this voluntary “do not sell” list would be tracked via the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
Proponents of the bill, known as the Preventing Suicide Through Voluntary Firearm Purchase Delay Act (H.R. 8361), argue it has the potential to save lives by blocking those at risk of self-harm from purchasing firearms.
The concept isn’t new. Similar self-reporting laws exist in Washington, Utah, and Virginia. And, politicians at the federal level have been debating it since 2016.
However, Wednesday’s actions represent the furthest that the bill has made it through the legislative process on Capitol Hill.
The Act does allow individuals to both add and remove their names from the database. But the removal process comes with a 21-day delay.
Moreover, any individual who wants his or her name removed must get a declaration from a mental health professional attesting that the individual is no longer a danger to himself or herself.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) expressed doubt about the legislation.
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“Do we really need a federal statute to permit a person to volunteer to give up their fundamental liberty? That’s what this bill does,” he said, as reported by Fox News.
“Mental health is important, we all understand that, especially as it relates to suicide, but this … I mean, really? This is what we’re going to do?” Jordan asked.
“I think this again is just another attack from the Democrats on the Second Amendment,” he added.
There are clear legal questions that arise from someone signing away their rights (both 2A as well as HIPAA in this case), especially if they are emotionally or mentally compromised at the time they sign onto the “voluntary purchase delay database.”
Also, the removal process has critics wondering if the ban might not end up being permanent. For example, it could be difficult to find a mental health professional willing to stake their livelihood to provide the required declaration to get an individual off the list.
Jordan continued, “We know that’s going to be tough. You can be assured that getting your name removed from the database will be as difficult as possible and will be a deterrent for anyone to put their name on the list to begin with.”
Fox News also reported:
Rep. Tom Massie, (R-KY), added that he is also worried that the bill might turn people into criminals if they give a firearm as a gift to someone who is on the list. During committee debate, Democrats said that is not the intent of the law and indicated an openness to fixing it later, but Republicans said the uncertainty on this issue is another reason not to support the bill.
Fortunately, the bill would require a vote by the full House, and with Jordan set to assume leadership of the House Judiciary Committee when Republicans assume control of the House in January, the passage of the legislation appears to be unlikely.
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Self reporting gun ban bill, you gotta be frickin kiddin me. You mean we really paid some dumbass legislator money to draft up this bill. How about drafting up a bill that is really useful, boy, that would be a novel idea.
And we pay politicians to do this? These people in congress need to get outside their office and experience the real world. Do persons become a criminal because they voluntarily put themselves on a list and they try to buy a firearm? Is this a new federal offense to be added to a 4473? What kind of idiotic legislation will the brain dead people in politics think of next?
Famous last words:
“We’ll fix it later”
Next will be a knife/rope/drug volunteer legislative volunteer registry. Gonna have to see a mental health professional to determine what we can eat!
The ACT should include giving up the right to be an American Citizen.
More evidence as to the HUTA idiocy of the Progressive-Socialists. Like anyone contemplating suicide is going to voluntarily sign onto that list.
“Oh my, now that I can’t get a gun to make offing myself quick & easy, I guess I’ll have consider drowning or hanging myself.” — said no one!
I’m actually all for this one, provided it stays completely voluntary. Any time the left wants to focus on folks that could legitimately use some help instead of focusing on me, that’s ok in my book. Along with hopefully steering some people in dire need of help away from a quick demise, reducing the numbers of suicides by firearm will lower the CDC statistics that are perennially misquoted by gun control advocates.
You really think they get a shit if someone wants to take their life?
Just another scam to taking our guns dude. Hello vaccines killing us do they care HELL NO THEY DONT USE YOUR HEAD MAN.
Most of the time, only metrics that politicians can point to for gauging the success or failure of legislation are statistics. Do politicians care about suicidal individuals? Not so much. What they care about is lowering the STATISTIC of gun suicides so they can point to a number and pat themselves on the back.
For those of us who aren’t looking for a bridge to jump off of, the end result will be the same: gun suicide rates will drop by a hair, and other forms of suicide will rise by a hair. At the end of the day, it will be a little harder to claim that guns are the root of all evil.
The more time they spend writing laws like this that don’t affect the average gun owner, the better.
What’s next , voluntarily give up our 4th , 5th , 7th & 9th
Amendments too ?
Man , it piles up so fast here , one needs wings to stay above it .
Unfortunately you’re right, and wrong. They want to abolish all our rights period. Just look at the number of sheeple who voluntarily gave up everything, for the illusion of safety during Covid. We have entire generations of people who stupidity believe that the government is their friend, and there to help. It’s absolutely mind blowing.
I’m beginning to hate the “mental health” argument, it is being used as an excuse at this point. Fact is if you can plan it out, obtain all the materials, and do what ever while in secrecy then I cant see how it was a mental issue to begin with! Lets not forget that people jump off things and hang themselves or whatever but once again guns are the only problem here not the other things…….it’s almost like somebody really hates guns in this country!
Today, anything — and I mean ANYTHING — the Progressive-Socialists want to do Must be opposed!
They are masterful at lies, deceit, and sugar-coating their subversive agenda. Don’t fall for Any of it!