Earlier this month, Congress voted to revoke a rule set forth by the Obama Administration that banned the sale of guns to people who are registered as receiving mental disability support from the Social Security Administration.

About 75,000 Americans, who are described by the New York Times as "individuals who suffer from schizophrenia, psychotic disorders and other problems to such an extent that they are unable to manage their financial affairs and other basic tasks without help" would have had their names added to a national background check database that would have prevented them from legally purchasing guns.

Supporters of the ban regard it as common sense gun legislation - Democratic Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy worried "I hope something truly awful doesn't happen because of this."

Those who supported the repeal felt the wording of the ban was overly broad and infringed upon 2nd Amendment rights. Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley feared the ban would preclude anyone with "an eating disorder" to buy a gun.

On the Thursday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, Republican Congressman Tim Murphy, who represents part of Southwest Pennsylvania, lends his perspective as the only pyschologist in Congress as to why he supports the repeal of this ban. We will also talk with Shira Goodman, Executive Director of Cease Fire PA, about why her organization feels a ban on weapons sales to the mentally ill is a good idea.

Also, many Lancaster County residents rely on the 67 volunteer fire companies that service the region. But volunteer numbers have dropped dramatically - from a peak 250,000 in the 1970's to about 45,000 today.

A grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency has allowed the Lancaster County Fire Chiefs Association to initiate a recruitment drive to sign up and train 210 new volunteer firefighters over the next three years.

Duane Hagelgans, commissioner of Blue Rock Fire Rescue and a retired Lancaster city battalion chief, joins us on Smart Talk to discuss the impact a shortage of firefighters has on the community and how people can apply to volunteer.