US Senate allows people with mental health issues to buy guns

The US Senate reversed an Obama-era rule that could block some people receiving Social Security disability benefits from being able to buy a gun. 

Senators voted 57-43 to strike down a regulation that requires the Social Security Administration to report people who receive disability benefits and have a mental health condition to the FBI's background check system. 
 
Critics argue the rule stripped Second Amendment rights from people who are not dangerously mentally ill, such as those with eating or sleeping disorders or disabilities that prevent them from managing their own finances, the Hill writes.

The National Rifle Association also opposed the rule. The group said the determination of who is mentally ill should be left to courts. 

The Senate's move will send the resolution of disapproval, which also passed the House last week, to President Donald Trump's desk, where he is expected to sign it. 
 
The rule was set to go into effect in December. If the Social Security Administration reported an individual to the FBI's background check system, the person would be able to appeal the decision.