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VIDEO: Huizenga Defends 2nd Amendment Rights, Calls On President Obama To Join Bipartisan Effort To Reform Our Nation's Mental Health System

Washington, January 7, 2016

Last night, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) spoke on the House floor in defense of the 2nd Amendment and called on President Obama to join the growing bipartisan effort to reform our nation’s broken mental health system.

  • “Just yesterday, the President announced unilateral actions to undermine the Second Amendment without input from Congress, making good on his vow from an October 2015 speech of his willingness to ‘politicize’ tragedies to advance his gun control agenda. … The House must remain vigilant to protect the American people from an ever encroaching Obama Administration that is more interested in creating a political issue than a solution.” 
  •  “Instead of pursuing his political agenda, the President should join the bipartisan effort to fix our nation’s broken mental health system. I am a proud cosponsor of Rep. Tim Murphy’s Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. This legislation will overhaul our nation’s inadequate and outdated mental health system so people who need treatment can receive it. Simply throwing more money at the issue without these reforms is like giving the VA more money without demanding better care for our veterans.”

 

 

Last night, I took to the House floor to defend the 2nd Amendment rights of millions of responsible gun-owners and called on Congress to not only stand up to the President's overreach but address the underlying cause for much of the gun violence - our nation's broken mental health system. I am proud to cosponsor Congressman Tim Murphy (PA-18)'s, Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, to reform, modernize, and improve access to mental health services.

Posted by Rep. Bill Huizenga on Thursday, January 7, 2016

Below is the transcript of Congressman Huizenga’s speech.

Congressman Huizenga:

Mr. Speaker, my heart breaks for those who have been impacted by violent crimes. These tragedies, however, do not give President Obama the authority to circumvent the Constitution.

Just yesterday, the President announced unilateral actions to undermine the Second Amendment without input from Congress, making good on his vow from an October 2015 speech of his willingness to ‘politicize’ tragedies to advance his gun control agenda.

The President needs to enforce the laws currently on the books. Criminals who abuse firearms or obtain them illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent and that isn’t always the case currently.

I wish President Obama understood what a majority of Americans already know, especially those of us who have purchased a gun. Purchasing a legal gun is not quick or easy. Americans also know that limiting the rights of law abiding citizens will not solve the problem.

Instead of pursuing his political agenda, the President should join the bipartisan effort to fix our nation’s broken mental health system.

I am a proud cosponsor of Rep. Tim Murphy’s Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. This legislation will overhaul our nation’s inadequate and outdated mental health system so people who need treatment can receive it.

Simply throwing more money at the issue without these reforms is like giving the VA more money without demanding better care for our veterans.

According to ABC News, 63% of Americans see mass shootings as a reflection of problems identifying and treating people with mental health problems rather than adding more restrictive gun laws.

Also, according to the New York Times, not exactly a conservative newspaper, 77% of those asked, said they thought that better access to mental health treatment and screening would reduce gun violence. The American people are correct! Responsible gun ownership is not the problem!

The House must remain vigilant to protect the American people from an ever encroaching Obama Administration that is more interested in creating a political issue than a solution.

As a responsible gun owner myself, I am committed to being an advocate for Second Amendment rights and constitutional legislation that will actually help prevent gun violence across America.
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