[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 14 (Monday, April 10, 2000)]
[Page 726]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Maryland State Action on Gun Safety Legislation

April 4, 2000

    Last night the Maryland Legislature took an important step forward 
to address the problem of gun violence by passing commonsense gun 
legislation. I commend the Governor and the legislature for their 
efforts to enact key gun safety measures that will, among other things, 
require built-in child safety locks on handguns, ballistics testing for 
newly manufactured handguns to help solve more gun crimes, and safety 
training for handgun purchasers.
    Maryland joins a growing number of States across the country that 
are taking actions to make guns safer and to keep guns out of the wrong 
hands. The Congress should follow their lead and make passage of 
commonsense gun legislation its top priority. I challenge the Congress 
to enact gun safety legislation before the one-year anniversary of the 
Columbine tragedy on April 20th.