A group of Senate Republicans recently introduced the Restoring, Enhancing, Strengthening, and Promoting Our Nation’s Safety Efforts (RESPONSE) Act, which would provide law enforcement with new tools, expand resources for mental health treatment and boost school safety.
Law enforcement would be provided with three tools. Task forces would be created on the federal, state, and local levels to investigate and prosecute people selling firearms without a license or who provide false statements as part of a background check. Internet service providers and online platforms would be given authority to share information with law enforcement concerning acts of mass violence, hate crimes, or domestic terrorism. Death penalties for individuals who commit mass murder would be expedited.
The expansion of mental health treatment would include The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services being required to develop and disseminate guidance for states to fund mental health programs and crisis intervention teams, as well as issue a Congressional report on best practices to expand access to care and the number of mental health practitioners. Up to $10 million in U.S. Department of Justice law enforcement funding would provide mental health treatment.
Increasing school safety includes incentivizing schools to enforce Internet safety policies.