Herb Kohl: “today I introduce the Child Safety Lock Act of 1999, along with Senators Chafee, Feinstein, Boxer and Durbin. Our…”

“today I introduce the Child Safety Lock Act of 1999, along with Senators Chafee, Feinstein, Boxer and Durbin. Our bipartisan measure will save children's lives by reducing the senseless tragedies that result when improperly stored and unlocked handguns come within the reach of children. Each year, nearly 500 children and teenagers are killed in firearms accidents, and every year 1,500 more children use firearms to commit suicide. Additionally, about 7,000 violent juvenile crimes are committed annually with guns which children take from their own homes. Safety locks can be effective in preventing at least some of these incidents. The sad truth is that we are inviting disaster because guns too often are not being properly stored away from children. Nearly 100 million privately-owned firearms are stored unlocked, with 22 million of these guns left unlocked and loaded; twenty-four percent of children between the ages of 10 and 17 say that they can gain access to a gun in their home; and the Centers for Disease Control estimate that almost 1.2 million elementary school-aged children return from school to a home where there is no adult supervision, but at least one firearm. That is not only wrong, it is unacceptable. Our legislation will help address this problem. It is simple, effective and straightforward. It requires that a child safety device-- or trigger lock--be sold with every handgun.”