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Trump Quietly Overturns Obama-Era Rule On Gun Control

Posted at 11:26 AM, Mar 01, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-01 12:26:07-05

An Obama-era rule on gun background checks was officially overturned Tuesday.

As expected, President Donald Trump signed a bill that had already passed both houses of Congress.

At the end of his term, former President Barack Obama mandated the Social Security Administration hand the FBI info on any person with a "documented mental health issue" who can't manage their disability benefits without a representative.

SEE MORE: Chicago Could Be Getting More Federal Help With Gun Violence

The Obama administration predicted the rule would affect roughly 75,000 people. Supporters argued it kept some with serious mental health issues from buying guns.

But opponents argued the rule was too broad and overestimated the risk to the public.

Republicans also argued Obama's rule unfairly discriminated against certain people's Second Amendment rights.

To be clear, studies have found having a mental illness doesn't increase a person's chances of using a gun violently and only slightly increases the risk of a gun-related suicide.


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