    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 10 (Monday, March 10, 1997)]
    [Pages 284-287]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks on Signing the Memorandum on Child Safety Lock Devices for
    Handguns and an Exchange With Reporters

    March 5, 1997

        The President. Good morning. I'd like to welcome here Senators Biden
    and Boxer, Durbin and Feinstein, Kohl; Congressmen Conyers, Schumer, and
    Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy; along with Deputy Attorney General Jamie
    Gorelick, Treasury's Under Secretary for Enforcement Ray Kelly; our
    friends Jim and Sarah Brady; and members of the law enforcement
    community. Did I leave anyone from Congress out? Senators? [Inaudible]
    Did I get everybody? Good.
        Four years ago, we made a commitment to take our streets back from
    crime and violence with a comprehensive plan: first, to put 100,000
    community police officers on our streets, to put new, tough penalties on
    the books, to steer young people away from crime and gangs and drugs, to
    keep guns out

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    of the hands of criminals with the assault weapons ban and the Brady
    bill. Last week I announced that the Brady bill has already stopped
    186,000 felons, fugitives, and stalkers from purchasing handguns.
        Repeatedly I have said that fighting the scourge of juvenile crime
    and violence will be my top law enforcement priority in the next 4
    years. Two weeks ago, I submitted to Congress my antigang and youth
    violence strategy. One of this bill's key provisions will require gun
    dealers to provide safety locks with every handgun they sell, to prevent
    unauthorized use by teenage criminals and to protect children too young
    to know what they're doing.
        Today I announced a series of new steps we must take immediately to
    protect our children, our neighbors, and our police officers from
    tragedies caused by firearms in the wrong hands. First, we must keep
    guns out of the hands of children.
        The Centers for Disease Control report that nearly 1.2 million
    children return from school to a home with no adult supervision but with
    a loaded and unlocked firearm. Easy access means deadly consequences.
    Children and teenagers cause over 10,000 unintentional shootings every
    year. Guns cause one in every four deaths of teenagers age 15 to 19.
    Last month the Centers for Disease Control reported that the rate of
    children from birth to age 14 who are killed by firearms in America is
    nearly 12 times higher than in 25 other industrialized countries
    combined.
        America cannot tolerate this. Until Congress makes child safety
    locks the law of the land, we must do everything we can to prevent
    unauthorized firearms use.
        I want to make sure the Federal Government is doing its part. Each
    year the Federal Government issues thousands of handguns to law
    enforcement agents. Unfortunately, we know all too well that even
    firearms issued to law enforcement are sometimes tragically misused.
    Today I am directing that every Federal agency shall require child
    safety locking devices with every handgun issued. The directive I'm
    about to sign requires every department and every agency to develop a
    plan to accomplish this commonsense safety measure and to implement it
    as soon as possible. And Congress should pass my proposal to require
    these locks with every handgun in the very near future. If it's good
    enough for law enforcement, it's good enough for all our citizens.
        The second step we're taking today will make it harder for people to
    come to America, purchase weapons, and commit crimes against Americans.
    We were all shocked to learn of the foreign gunman who shot seven people
    on top of the Empire State Building, killing one of them and then
    killing himself. He apparently bought this gun after living in a Florida
    motel for just 3 weeks. Federal law requires legal aliens to live at
    least 90 days in a State before they are allowed to purchase a handgun.
    But the application to buy a gun does not even ask how long an applicant
    has lived at his or her current address.
        As a first step to reduce illegal handgun purchases by foreigners,
    today I'm announcing that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
    will immediately require applicants to certify that they have been
    residents for at least 90 days in the State where they are trying to buy
    a gun. But this is not enough. I call on Congress to pass the bill
    sponsored by Senators Kennedy and Durbin and Congressman Schumer that
    will prohibit all foreign visitors from buying or carrying guns in the
    United States.
        Finally, as we work to make all our people safer, we must never
    forget our special obligation to police officers, like those who are
    with me today, who risk their lives to protect us all. It is long past
    time for Congress to listen to America's law enforcement officers and
    ban cop-killer bullets once and for all.
        I have sent this legislation to Congress twice before, and they
    failed to act. They should not delay this effort again. We don't need to
    study this issue any more to determine what specific materials can be
    used to make armor-piercing bullets. We need a simple test and a
    straightforward ban. If a bullet can tear through a bulletproof vest
    like a hot knife through butter, it should be against the law, and that
    is the bottom line. These bullets are designed for one purpose only, to
    kill police officers. They have no place on our streets.

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        Three simple steps to make our children, our streets, and our law
    enforcement officers safer: Child safety locks on handguns, new rules to
    prevent foreign criminals from buying guns in the United States, a
    straightforward ban on cop-killer bullets. I will do my part. I thank
    the Members of Congress who are here, especially for their leadership,
    and I ask the Congress to act on this important legislation.
        Now, let me sign this order here, and then I'll answer any questions
    you have.

    [At this point, the President signed the memorandum.]

        Thank you.

    Police Firepower

        Q. The police were outgunned in Los Angeles. Do you think there's
    also a problem with police departments not having enough firepower?
        The President. There could be, but I think the real problem is--the
    way we sought to deal with that is by dealing with the assault weapons
    ban. I think most police departments will be adequately armed if we can
    get the assault weapons out of the hands of the criminals and if we have
    tougher enforcement of the Brady bill. It's--186,000 blocked sales is no
    small number, even in a big country like ours--186,000. That's pretty
    impressive.

    1996 Campaign Financing

        Q. What do you think of the Republicans suggesting they'll vote
    tomorrow in the Senate on insisting there be an independent counsel on
    campaign financial fundraising?
        The President. Well, I think, you know, there is a law on that. It's
    a legal question. It shouldn't be a political one.

    Cop-Killer Bullet Legislation

        Q. Mr. President, why would you think now that things in the
    Congress would be any different this time around for cop-killer bullets
    or for some of these other measures than before?
        The President. Because of the clear demonstration of public support.
    Keep in mind that this Congress, which had originally come into office
    with a commitment to repeal the--I mean, the last Congress, the Congress
    of '95-'96, which came to Congress with a commitment to repeal the
    assault weapons ban and weaken or repeal the Brady bill, actually agreed
    with me to strengthen the Brady bill at the end of the last session of
    Congress in late 1996.
        So I think there has been a sea change in the shift of attitude in
    the Congress as the American people have crystallized their opinions on
    these issues and made it known.
        Furthermore, I think there will be broad support--even broader
    support for the child safety locks. I would be surprised if you don't
    have a lot of the gunowners groups--if they didn't support this, it
    would surprise me. I mean, this is consistent with a lot of the things
    that they have said in the past, so I think we would have a good chance
    on that. And on the cop-killer bullets, I think that--you asked my hope,
    my hope is based on the action that this Congress took at the last
    session where they voted with us to extend the impact of the Brady bill.

    Subpoena of Lippo Group Documents

        Q. Mr. President, with the new subpoenas coming out on the Lippo
    connection to the White House, are you satisfied that there's been no
    undue influence by outside influence on--by outside countries on either
    your White House or on your former--your very good friend Web Hubbell?
        The President. I have no reason to believe that there has been. But
    I think that everybody should comply with the information, and we have.
    And you know, Mr. Burton asked us yesterday I think for some information
    relating to the allegation of an attempt by the Chinese to influence the
    American election. And when we have made that--when--we said in our
    letter to the Justice Department that we assumed anything that we got
    would be given to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees because
    we didn't want to raise any questions, we just want to get to the bottom
    of that. And so, they have it, and whatever is appropriate for them to
    share with Mr. Burton, they can.
        I just think we----
        Q. Is Burton grandstanding?
        The President. I don't want to get into that. But I believe that the
    House and Senate committees--Intelligence Committees--

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    have anything that we had. And so they can share it with them as is
    appropriate.
        Q. Do you have any reason to believe there was influence----
        The President. No.
        Q. ----attempted influence?
        The President. I do not, but I think we have to get--you know,
    there's an investigation. As I said, the charge is serious; we need to
    get to the bottom of it. But I have no reasons to believe--I have no
    personal evidence, but that's not the issue. The issue is this charge
    has been made, it's--anytime you allege that another government
    attempted to influence an American election, that's a serious thing and
    has to be looked into. But I have no personal evidence, but I want the
    investigation to proceed, and I want the Justice Department to get to
    the bottom of it. And I expect that they will.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:33 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to former White House Press Secretary
    James S. Brady, who was wounded in the 1981 assassination attempt on
    President Ronald Reagan, and Mr. Brady's wife, Sarah, head of Hand Gun
    Control, Inc.