R-56-04 08/09/2004RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION REQUESTING PRESIDENT BUSH, CONGRESS, GOVERNOR
BLAGOJEVICH AND THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE TO EXTEND AND
STRENGTHEN THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN.
WHEREAS, Assault weapons are semi - automatic firearms designed with military features to allow rapid
and accurate spray firing. They are not designed for "sport;" they are designed to kill
humans quickly and efficiently.
WHEREAS, Assault weapons have been used in may mass shootings, including:
• The July 18, 1984 massacre at a McDonald's restaurant in San Ysidro, California, which left 21
dead and 19 wounded;
• The January 17, 1989 rampage at an elementary school in Stockton, California, which left 5
children dead and 29 children and one teacher wounded;
• The July 1, 1993 shooting at a San Francisco law firm and other offices located at 101 California
Street, which left eight dead and six wounded (one of whom subsequently died);
• The April 20, 1999 massacre at Columbine High School and Colorado, whick left 13 dead and 23
wounded; and
• The October 2002 sniper attacks in the Washington, D.C. area, which left 10 dead and three
wounded.
WHEREAS, The federal assault weapon ban (18 U.S.C. § 921 et seq.) prohibits the manufacture, transfer
and possession of semi- automatic assault weapons and the transfer and possession of large capacity
ammunition feeding devices (i.e., those capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition). The law
bans 19 names assault weapons, and copies or duplicated of those weapons, and any semi - automatic
firearm with at least two specified military features and the ability to accept a detachable magazine (the
latter criterion does not apply to shotguns).
WHEREAS, The federal assault weapon ban contains a sunset provision and will expire on September 13,
2004, unless Congress and President Bush act to renew the legislation.
WHEREAS, Since the federal assault weapon ban went into effect in 1994, the percentage of crime gun
traces involving assault weapons has dropped 79 %.
WHEREAS, The federal assault weapon ban has been upheld by the federal courts, See Olympic Arms v.
Buckles, 301 F.3d 384 (6th Cir 2002), Navegar, Inc. v. United States, 192 F.3d 1050 (D.C. Cir 1999), cert.
denied, 531 U.S. 816 (2000).
WHEREAS, the federal assault weapon ban should not only be renewed, but strengthened. For example,
the generic definition of "assault weapon" should be amended to require only one military feature (like
California's assault weapon ban), rather than two.
WHEREAS, President Bush has stated that he will sign legislation renewing the assault weapon ban if
such legislation reaches his desk.
WHEREAS, Nationally, 77 percent of Americans — including 66 percent of gun owners — support renewal
of the ban, and 65 percent support strengthening it.
WHEREAS, a national ban of assault weapons or a state ban on assault weapons would be much more
effective than a patchwork of state or municipal bans on assault weapons.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and the Village Board of Trustees of the Village of
Lemont, that the Mayor and the Village Board of Trustees of the Village of Lemont urge Congress and
President Bush to reauthorize and strengthen the federal assault weapon ban; and be it further
RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Village Board of Trustees of the Village of Lemont, that the Mayor and
Village Board of Trustees of the Village of Lemont urge the Illinois State Legislature and Governor
Blagojevich to create a strong state assault weapons ban regardless if the federal ban is renewed; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Village Clerk transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President
of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate to
each Senator and Representative from Illinois who represents the Village of Lemont in the Congress of the
United States, to Illinois Govemor Blagojevich, to the Majority and Minority Leaders in both the House
and Senate of the Illinois State Legislature, and to each Illinois Senator and Illinois Representative who
represents the Village of Lemont in the Illinois State Legislature.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
VILLAGE OF LEMONT, COUNTIES OF COOK, WILL AND DUPAGE, ILLINOIS,
On this 41 41 day of Quav4- , 2004.
Debby Blatzer
Peter Cowles
Steven Rosendahl
Jeanette Virgilio
Ron Stapleton
Brian Reeves
AYES NAYS PASSED ABSENT
v
PIAZZA, Villag Presi n
CHARLENE SMOLLEN, Village Clerk