[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book II)]
[November 7, 1998]
[Pages 2002-2003]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
November 7, 1998

    Good morning. This week the American people sent a clear message to 
Washington that we must put politics aside and take real action on the 
real challenges facing our Nation: saving Social Security for the 21st 
century, passing a Patients' Bill of Rights, strengthening our schools 
by finishing the job of hiring 100,000 teachers, and passing my plan to 
build or modernize 5,000 schools across our country.
    Over the past 6 years, we have taken real action to address another 
important challenge, making our communities safe for our families.

[[Page 2003]]

For too long it seemed that rising crime was a frightening fact of life 
in America. In too many communities, children could not play on the 
street or walk to school in safety, older Americans locked themselves in 
their homes with fear, and gangs armed with illegal guns boldly roamed 
our streets and schools. I took office determined to change this, 
committed to a comprehensive anticrime strategy based on more community 
policing, tougher penalties, and better prevention.
    Today our strategy is showing remarkable results. We're ahead of 
schedule and under budget in meeting our goal of putting 100,000 police 
on the street. And all across America, crime rates have fallen to a 25-
year low, respect for the law is on the rise, families are beginning to 
feel safe in their communities again.
    Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals has been at the center of 
our strategy and an essential part of our success. Since I signed the 
Brady law, after a big debate in Congress which was led in the House of 
Representatives by now Senator-elect Charles Schumer of New York, 
background checks have put a stop to nearly a quarter of a million 
handgun purchases by fugitives or felons. Law enforcement officers from 
around the country have told us that fewer guns on the street have made 
a huge difference in the lives of families they serve.
    At the end of this month, we will make the Brady law even stronger. 
For the first time ever, we will require background checks for the 
purchase of any firearm, whether purchased from a licensed gun dealer or 
a pawnshop. But under this new insta-check system, as it's called, we'll 
be able to run nearly twice as many background checks, and most of them 
in just a matter of minutes.
    We've spent 5 years working with State and local law enforcement to 
put this system in place, but when it comes to our families' safety, we 
must take another important step. Every year, an untold number of 
firearms are bought and sold at an estimated 5,000 gun shows around our 
country. I come from a State where these shows are very popular. I have 
visited and enjoyed them over the years. They're often the first place 
parents teach their children how to handle firearms safely. I know most 
gun dealers and owners are dedicated to promoting safe and legal gun 
use. But at too many gun shows, a different, dangerous trend is 
emerging. Because the law permits some firearms to be sold without 
background checks, some of these gun shows have become illegal arms 
bazaars for criminals and gun traffickers looking to buy and sell guns 
on a cash-and-carry, no-questions-asked basis.
    On Tuesday the people of Florida voted overwhelmingly to put a stop 
to these tainted transactions and make it harder for criminals to buy 
firearms. Under the new Florida law, communities now can take action to 
require background checks for the public sale of all guns. I believe 
this should be the law of the land: No background check, no gun, no 
exceptions.
    Therefore, I am directing Secretary Rubin and Attorney General Reno 
to report back to me in 60 days with a plan to close the loophole in the 
law and prohibit any gun sale without a background check. We didn't 
fight as hard as we did to pass the Brady law only to let a handful of 
unscrupulous gun dealers disrespect the law, undermine our progress, put 
the safety of our families at risk. With this action, we are one step 
closer to shutting them down.
    I look forward to working together with members of both parties in 
the new Congress to meet this challenge and all our challenges to build 
a safer and stronger America for the 21st century.
    Thanks for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at approximately 9:30 a.m. on November 6 
in the Oval Office at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on 
November 7. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on November 6 but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast.