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Title: ELCA Wants Safety Locks on Guns ELCA NEWS SERVICE - NEWSBRIEF April 21, 1997 ELCA WANTS SAFETY LOCKS ON GUNS "All persons are entitled to the protection of life and physical well-being," Kay A. Bengston wrote April 11 to members of the Crime Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives. That committee is looking at the Juvenile Crime Control Act of 1997. "To our disappointment, this bill does not contain any child safety lock provision at this time," said Bengston, an associated director for advocacy with the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs, Washington, D.C. LOGA is the federal public policy advocacy office of the 5.2-million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. "There are a variety of child safety locks available, including inexpensive devices known as trigger locks which can prevent a child from gaining access to a firearm," Bengston wrote. She cited ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson for his emphasis of "helping our children by assuring that they have a future free of violence." Bengston urged the subcommittee to include a child safety lock provision in the bill. For information contact: Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html