[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 183 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 183

 Condemning the recent rash of arson against African-American churches 
     across the United States, pledging to assist law enforcement 
 authorities in apprehending the persons responsible for such acts of 
  arson, supporting bipartisan legislation which would facilitate the 
  prosecution of arsonists and create more severe penalties for arson 
  against houses of worship, and encouraging the people of the United 
  States to work in their communities to prevent future acts of arson 
                   against African-American churches.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 1996

Mrs. Clayton (for herself, Mr. Bonior, Mr. Richardson, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. 
 King, Mr. Payne of New Jersey, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Ward, Mr. Frazer, Mr. 
 Ford, Mr. Browder, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Hilliard, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Owens, 
 Mr. Hall of Ohio, Mr. Fields of Louisiana, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Frost, Mr. 
Hastings of Florida, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Dellums, Mr. Franks 
of Connecticut, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Clyburn, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Abercrombie, 
  Mr. Farr of California, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Gilchrest, Ms. 
 Norton, Ms. Woolsey, Ms. Furse, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Pallone, Mrs. Thurman, 
   Mrs. Kennelly, Mr. Shays, Mr. Clay, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Ms. 
 Kaptur, Mr. Watt of North Carolina, Mr. Foglietta, Mr. Thompson, Mr. 
  Miller of California, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Ms. Pelosi, Ms. Roybal-
   Allard, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Clement, Mrs. Schroeder, Miss 
 Collins of Michigan, Mr. Rush, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Stokes, Mr. Rose, 
Mr. Cummings, Mr. Hefner, Mr. Talent, Mrs. Meek of Florida, Mr. Flake, 
  Ms. Pryce, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Fattah, Ms. Slaughter, Ms. 
  Rivers, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. 
    Waters, Mrs. Collins of Illinois, Mr. Stark, and Mr. Barrett of 
  Wisconsin) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning the recent rash of arson against African-American churches 
     across the United States, pledging to assist law enforcement 
 authorities in apprehending the persons responsible for such acts of 
  arson, supporting bipartisan legislation which would facilitate the 
  prosecution of arsonists and create more severe penalties for arson 
  against houses of worship, and encouraging the people of the United 
  States to work in their communities to prevent future acts of arson 
                   against African-American churches.

Whereas more than 30 African-American churches have caught fire during the past 
        15 months under suspicious circumstances;
Whereas officials at the Departments of Justice and the Treasury believe that 
        racial hostility was the driving force behind many of such acts of 
        arson;
Whereas 2 men with connections to the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan have 
        been arrested in South Carolina for 2 of the church burnings in that 
        State;
Whereas President Clinton has initiated a four-step plan to respond to the 
        recent rash of arson against African-American churches, including the 
        creation of a task force comprised of members of the Departments of 
        Justice and the Treasury and more than 200 law enforcement officials;
Whereas, on June 15, 1996, members of the congregation of the Mount Zion AME 
        church in Greeleyville, South Carolina will be joined by other members 
        of the Greeleyville community in marching from the site where the old 
        Mount Zion AME church was burned to the site of the newly rebuilt Mount 
        Zion AME church, representing the triumph of good over evil;
Whereas it is important for the Congress to speak out against the recent 
        incidents of arson against African-American places of worship: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
    (1) condemns the rash of arson against African-American churches 
across the United States during the past 18 months;
    (2) pledges to take steps to assist law enforcement authorities in 
apprehending the persons responsible for these acts of arson;
    (3) supports the bipartisan legislation introduced by 
Representatives Conyers and Hyde, which would facilitate the 
prosecution of the persons responsible for arson against African-
American churches and increase penalties against arsonists who target 
houses of worship;
    (4) encourages the people of the United States to work within their 
own communities to prevent arson against African-American houses of 
worship.
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