Senate repeals 'discriminatory' Obama-era rule barring 75,000 mentally ill people from buying guns

[EC]

Rule strengthened federal background check system, but critics argued it discriminated against the disabled.

    Sofia Lotto Persio
    By Sofia Lotto Persio
    February 15, 2017 18:09 GMT

Gun and American Flag
The Obama-era rule would have prevented an estimated 75,000 people with mental disorders from being able to purchase gunsiStock/Casenbina

The US Senate has voted to repeal the timid changes made under former President Barack Obama to restrict access to gun sales.

The Republican-led chamber has voted to block a regulation that would prevent an estimated 75,000 people with mental disorders from being able to purchase guns.

The repeal passed with 57 votes in favour and 43 against in the Senate, the Associated Press reported. In the House of Representatives, a majority of 235 to 180 voted to block the regulation on 2 February and now the measure is in President Donald Trump's hands, who is expected to sign it.

The move is seen as a larger effort from the Republican party to take advantage of their control of both legislative chambers and the presidency to repeal regulations passed in the last months of the Obama administration.

Read more: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/senate-repeals-discriminatory-obama-era-rule-barring-75000-mentally-ill-people-buying-guns-1606802

[driftdiver]

Good, the Obama rule was overly restrictive and too broad.  Of course its purpose was to restrict gun ownership so it was good for that.

[EC]

Nice to see the Senate is actually doing something more than posturing.

Sure, it's no biggie in the scheme of things, but it's out of the way now, at least.