    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [May 18, 1999]
    [Pages 802-803]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Senate Action on Legislation To Require Child Safety Locks
    for Guns
    May 18, 1999

        I want to commend the Senate for reversing its position of last year
    and voting overwhelmingly today to require that child safety locks be
    provided with every gun sold. This was a courageous, commonsense vote
    that will help prevent tragic shootings and gun-related accidents in the
    future.
        I also want to thank Speaker Hastert
    for agreeing that we should close the gun show

    [[Page 803]]

    loophole and raise the age of handgun ownership from 18 to 21. The
    Senate should likewise put progress over politics and give its strong
    backing to these reasonable measures to keep guns out of the hands of
    children and criminals. I urge Senator Lott to
    let the Senate keep working on the juvenile crime bill and give every
    Senator the chance to vote on these commonsense provisions.