Dive Brief:
- Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) suggested Congress should overhaul the nation's mental health system after the Planned Parenthood shooting last week.
- There is pending legislation (H.R. 2646) from Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) with provisions to increase inpatient psychiatric beds, expand mental health workforce and authorize an early intervention program. The bill has some Democratic support, and opponents say the bill will only increase the stigma against mental illness.
- Another bill, from Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) would assist law enforcement agencies to identify and seek treatment for individuals with mental health issues. An aide to Cornyn told The New York Times that "discussions were underway to potentially combine his proposals with similar legislation."
Dive Insight:
The tragic shooting at Planned Parenthood last week has Congress pointing fingers. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), the Senate Democratic leader, said the mental health overhaul effort was important but was "only remotely connected" to most gun deaths.
Senator Reid told The New York Times, "It seems to me anytime, and that's often now, we have one of these horrible murders take place, the Republicans go, 'Let's do something about mental health.' The word 'gun' is not mentioned because they're afraid to mention guns."
However, Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) said members of both parties want a mental health bill. Congress is scheduled to adjourn Dec. 18 so there is really no chance a bill could move forward before the holidays. Ryan's endorsement, says USA Today, could make it a priority next year.
President Obama reacting to the shooting said, "I will continue to present those things that I can do administratively, but in the end of the day, Congress, states, local governments are going to have to act in order to make sure that we're preventing people who are deranged or have violent tendencies from getting weapons that can magnify the damage that they do."