Congressional Republicans are once more fighting against President Obama’s gun control policies – even after he left office. On February 2, 2017, House Republicans voted to overturn a rule that regulates how and when people with severe mental disabilities can access guns. The current rule took effect in December 2016, and prevents some mentally ill people from accessing firearms.

Now, the regulation is in danger pending a full Senate vote.

The rule requires the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide records to the FBI of benefit recipients whose mental disability or disorder prevents them from managing their own benefits. That is, if a recipient is mentally incapable of managing their financial benefits, the SSA must provide their records to the FBI under this administrative rule. Those records are then processed through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

If a mentally ill or disabled person is found in that system, they cannot purchase a firearm.

Republicans, unsatisfied with almost any level of federal gun control, are now pushing to overturn the rule.

If the Republican-held Senate votes to block the rule, President Trump will make the final decision to block or enforce the current rule. Trump stated during his presidential campaign that he would not allow any infringement on Americans’ Second Amendment rights. Infringing on our rights should not be synonymous with putting our lives in danger.