[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 84 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S6013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FAIRCLOTH:
  S. 1853. A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify the 
Federal jurisdiction over offenses relating to damage to religious 
property; to the Committee on the Judiciary.


                the church arson prevention act of 1996

  Mr. FAIRCLOTH. Mr. President, over the weekend in my home State of 
North Carolina, a small black church--the Matthew Murkland Presbyterian 
Church was destroyed by fire.
  This is truly a terrible act. I cannot think of a more despicable act 
than to burn any church. Nevertheless, this is the 30th such fire for a 
black church in the last 18 months. In fact, there are reports of 
another occurring last night.
  At this time, we do not know if this is a nationwide effort by some 
hate group, or the acts of crazed individuals. I would suspect that 
some of this has been organized, and that some of these are copycat 
crimes.
  Whatever the motivation, the legislation I am introducing would 
clarify that to burn any church is a Federal crime. Further, this 
lowers the threshold of damage necessary to make it a Federal crime 
from $10,000 in damages to $5,000 in damages.
  This makes certain that those that are doing this on an organized 
basis across the Nation will surely be brought to justice for the 
crimes they are committing.
  This is the same bill that Congressmen Hyde and Conyers have 
introduced in the House of Representatives.
  The President has announced his support for this legislation. It is 
my hope that the Congress can act on this bill soon and send it to the 
President.
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