Mental Health Access and Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2023

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 46 To authorize funding to increase access to mental health care treatment to reduce gun violence. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 9, 2023 Ms. JACKSON LEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To authorize funding to increase access to mental health care treatment to reduce gun violence. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mental Health Access 4 and Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2023’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 The Congress finds as follows: 7 (1) Suicide is the leading cause of gun related 8 deaths in America. More than 60 percent of deaths 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:05 Jan 12, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H46.IH H46 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 46 IH by guns in the country are the result of individuals 1 using these weapons as a means to commit suicide. 2 Some of these deaths might have been prevented if 3 there were adequate background checks. 4 (2) Victims of domestic abuse are more likely to 5 become victims of homicide when a gun is present. 6 Further, individuals who suffer from mental illnesses 7 are more likely to be victims rather than perpetra- 8 tors of violence. 9 (3) Approximately 1 in 4 American adults have 10 a mental illness and nearly half of all adults in 11 America will develop at least one mental illness dur- 12 ing their lifetime. 13 (4) Less than half of children and adults with 14 diagnosable mental health problems receive the 15 treatment they need. 16 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDING TO INCREASE AC- 17 CESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE TREATMENT 18 TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE. 19 There is authorized to be appropriated to the Attor- 20 ney General of the United States, the Secretary of Health 21 and Human Services, and the Commissioner of Social Se- 22 curity $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2024 to carry out pro- 23 grams and activities authorized by provisions of law other 24 than this Act— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:05 Jan 12, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H46.IH H46 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 46 IH (1) to increase access to mental health care 1 treatment and services; and 2 (2) to encourage and assist the reporting of rel- 3 evant disqualifying mental health information to the 4 National Instant Criminal Background Check Sys- 5 tem. 6 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:05 Jan 12, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H46.IH H46 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS