Community Leaders Join Together to Urge Congress to Renew the Federal Assault Weapons Ban at a News Conference on Wednesday, September 8, 2004.

WHAT:  West Hollywood Mayor John J. Duran, Mayor Pro Tem Abbe Land
       and members of the West Hollywood City Council will join with
       the City's Public Safety Commission, Women Against Gun
       Violence (WAGV) and the Brady Campaign, to demand that
       Congress renew the federal ban on assault weapons before its
       expiration on September 13th. The federal ban on assault
       weapons, enacted in 1994, prohibits the manufacture or sale of
       specific military-style semiautomatic assault weapons and
       copycats, and also bans the manufacture or sale of
       high-capacity ammunition clips that enable criminals to outgun
       the police. Since the ban was put into effect, Department of
       Justice records show a 66 percent decline in the incidence of
       assault weapons linked to crimes.

       Mayor Duran's call to action supports a nationwide effort to
       renew the ban and reinforces media events across California
       and the rest of the country with Mayors and prominent law
       enforcement leaders and victims of assault weapon shootings.
       The cities of Long Beach, Richmond, Sacramento and San
       Francisco will also be holding press events in their cities on
       the 8th to send a message that strong gun control laws in
       California will not be as effective if the Federal ban lapses
       and assault weapons are able to get into California from
       surrounding states with weaker gun control laws.

WHO:   West Hollywood City Council members. Confirmed speakers will
       include: Mayor John J. Duran; Mayor Pro Tem Abbe Land; members
       of the West Hollywood City Council; Captain Dave Long of the
       West Hollywood Sheriff's Department; Captain Mike Downing of
       Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Station; Suzanne
       Verge, West Los Angeles Million Mom March (MMM) Chapter
       President, and Vice President of the CA MMM State Council; and
       a representative from WAGV, who is also a victim of gun
       violence. Invited speakers include: Congressmember Henry
       Waxman; State Senator Sheila J. Kuehl; State Assemblymember
       Paul Koretz; Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn; Members of the Los
       Angeles City Council; and Mayors from the cities of Santa
       Monica, Beverly Hills and Culver City.

WHEN:  Wednesday, September 8, 2004
       9:00 a.m.

WHERE: West Hollywood City Hall
       Lobby
       8300 Santa Monica Boulevard
       West Hollywood