[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.