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STEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, August 27, 2012

Clay Announces $200K U.S. Justice Department Grant to Expand and Enhance

St. Louis City Drug Court

Calls for Renewal of Federal Assault Weapons Ban to Fight Gun Violence

ST. LOUIS, MO – Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded the St. Louis City Drug Court a $200,000 grant to expand its reach and enhance vital offender intervention services like treatment for substance abuse, healthcare, mental health services and job training.  The Congressman also called for the renewal of the federal assault weapons ban to combat a surge of gun violence in this country.

At this morning’s announcement, which was held at St. Louis City Hall, Congressman Clay was joined by St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Dan Isom.  In his remarks, the Congressman said, “I want to thank the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney for Eastern Missouri Richard Callahan for supporting my efforts to help break the cycle of repeated drug use, which often leads to gun violence.”

Mr. Clay also called for the renewal of the federal assault weapons ban which expired in 2004.  “I intend to support legislation to renew the federal assault weapons ban,” said Clay.“The original assault weapons ban was signed into law by President Clinton in 1994.  And for the ten years that followed, gun violence in this country went down…and America was a much safer place.  In 2004, President Bush and the Republican majority in Congress allowed the ban to expire…and that was a mistake that we are still paying for today.”

St. Louis Police Chief Dan Isom also described a new, innovative violent crime targeting plan that will create an overlay shift of officers to focus intensified police coverage in 12 neighborhoods in the City of St. Louis….eight in North St. Louis, two in the Central West End, and two in South St. Louis.

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