[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 20 (Monday, May 24, 1999)]
[Page 933]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Senate Action on Legislation Requiring 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 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.