[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 90 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6384-S6386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            CHURCH BURNINGS

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 265, 
submitted earlier today by myself, the Democratic leader and others.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 265) relating to church burnings.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, this Senate resolution condemns the arson 
and other acts of desecration against churches and other houses of 
worship.
  Senator Daschle and I are joined in the cosponsorship of this 
resolution by Senator Hutchison, Senator Moseley-Braun, Senator Gramm, 
Senator Helms, Senator Faircloth, and Senator D'Amato. I hope Senators 
during today, if they have an opportunity, or later on this afternoon, 
and would like to speak on this issue, that they will feel free to do 
so.
  Mr. President, my State of Mississippi was gravely wounded last 
night.
  Two churches burned in Kossuth, a small town in the northeast corner 
of our State. The Mount Pleasant and the Central Grove Missionary 
Baptist Churches were lost to flames.
  The fires, like several others that have hit churches elsewhere in 
the country in recent months, were, as the official reports say, of 
suspicious origin.
  In time, the truth will be uncovered. And if these fires were not 
accidents, if they were set by the hand of evil, then justice must be 
done.
  The good people of Kossuth will rebuild their churches.
  Bill Dillworth, a deputy sheriff and a deacon at Mount Pleasant 
Church, affirmed, ``We will always survive. You look to the Lord at 
times like this. He will be your guide.''
  I hope that same spirit prevails in the meeting President Clinton has 
scheduled for tomorrow with several of the Nation's Governors, to 
discuss ways to combat church arsons.
  It will not help the situation to turn these tragedies into a racial 
or regional issue. Attacks on churches and synagogues are attacks on 
religion itself.
  James Glassman's column in today's Washington Post lays out the sad 
statistics. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has 
investigated 123 church burnings over the last 5 years. Of those, 38 
have been at black churches.
  Attacks of any kind against any of our places of worship should unite 
Americans in outrage and in resolve. That is why, early this year, a 
coalition of pro-family organizations--the Christian Coalition, Eagle 
Forum, Family Research Council, and others--publicly appealed for 
action to protect churches--all churches.
  In response to their petition, the House Judiciary Committee held 
hearings in May. And the Christian Coalition offered a $25,000 reward 
for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a church-
burner.
  Those were constructive steps in the right direction.
  Perhaps additional legislation is needed to make it easier for 
Federal prosecutors to intervene in cases of church burnings.
  On the other hand, perhaps the administration should take a closer 
look at the extraordinary powers to protect churches which congress 
gave the Justice Department 2 years ago in the clinic access bill.
  That legislation, designed to protect only abortion clinics, was 
expanded, at

[[Page S6385]]

the insistence of Senator Hatch and other Republican Members of the 
House and Senate, to apply to religious institutions as well.
  To date, however, the administration has failed to use its powers 
under that legislation to deal with attacks on churches. I urge the 
Attorney General to rethink her Department's approach.
  I urge the President, as well, to rethink the approach he and some 
others associated with him have taken toward religious institutions, 
and in particular, toward their role in public affairs.
  Every time Americans are denounced as extremists for standing up for 
their religious beliefs, every time persons of faith are stigmatized 
for intruding their values into politics, it becomes easier for those 
who wish evil to actually do evil.
  That evil is all of one piece, whether it is a wooden church aflame 
in rural Mississippi or a synagogue defaced in California or a 
cathedral disrupted in New York City.
  For persons of faith, those buildings are more than places we visit 
regularly. They are extensions of our own homes.
  Whoever raised a hateful hand against our homes in Mississippi last 
night is going to learn an important lesson.
  Along with the entire Nation, they will learn that the faithful 
people there are like the three young men of Israel who were cast into 
the fiery furnace. The raging flames could not harm them, and they were 
brought forth radiant with the protection of their God.
  I am glad we are able to get this unanimous-consent agreement on this 
resolution. It is very important that the Senate express its outrage at 
these churches being burned.
  Unfortunately, in my own State of Mississippi last night, we had two 
incidents in the northeastern part of the State that are of suspicious 
origin. There is no way that we can tolerate this type of activity.
  We want to express our outrage and also assure our colleagues that 
our intent is to take a quick, serious look at House-passed legislation 
and hope we will be able to pass their bill, which provides some 
additional authority for law enforcement investigations and activity 
with regard to these church and other religious buildings burnings.
  I am very pleased we have this resolution, and I am glad it was done 
in a bipartisan way.
  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my State colleague 
and other Senators in cosponsoring this resolution condemning recent 
church burnings and urging that all appropriate Federal authority be 
used to investigate these incidents and bring to justice those who are 
responsible for them.
  I suggest, in addition to passing this bipartisan leadership 
resolution, that we hold at the desk the bill that will be passed by 
the House and call it up for passage as soon as possible, without 
amendment, and send it to the President for his signature.
  Taking this action should serve notice on all concerned that this 
kind of conduct will not be tolerated in our society, and those who 
engage in this terrorism will be caught and they will be punished.
  Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, I am proud to cosponsor this 
resolution by Senator Moseley-Braun and Senator Lott which places the 
Senate firmly on record against the recent incidents of church burnings 
in our Southern States.
  Church burning is religious persecution at its worst. It denies 
Americans their right to worship their God as they see fit.
  Our Southern States are witnessing the worst number of black church 
bombings and fires since the 1960's civil rights era. Mount Zion AME 
Church in Greeleyville, SC, was burned to the ground last year by an 
arsonist. Church bombings are occurring in Virginia, Tennessee, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and 
Texas. For well over 18 months, communities in these States have been 
held hostage by cowardly and intolerant individuals threatening their 
inalienable right to pray and praise. This is simply unacceptable. 
America is a land of toleration and acceptance; not of prejudice and 
fear.
  What do these criminals hate that makes them act so miserably? If 
their goal is racial prejudice, they should think again. Burning a 
church is not just a crime against people of different ethnic origins. 
It is an attack on the House of God. Surely God knows and will remember 
those who commit these crimes. Church arsonists are playing with fire, 
the fire of judgment day.
  Regrettably, religious persecution is not limited to the South. 
Illinois citizens are waking up to crosses burning in their yards. 
Idahoans, especially Idaho Mormons, have suffered as well. Three years 
ago, on the campus of Idaho State University in Pocatello, the LDS 
Institute was burned to the ground. Arson was the cause. And that's not 
the only incident. Random acts of vandalism to the Boise and Idaho 
Falls Temples, as well as to churches and seminaries unfortunately 
continue today.
  Religious persecution has no place in Birmingham, AL, or Boise, ID.
  Our Founding Fathers enshrined religious freedom in the first 
amendment. They knew worship strengthens our daily lives. They knew 
that Americans held, and would continue to hold, differing religious 
convictions. They also knew America stands for freedom and that 
thousands of immigrants had come to these shores seeking refuge from 
religious persecution.
  My prayers go out to those parishioners whose churches have been 
bombed, burned, or threatened. The faith that helped their forefathers 
through the worst days of slavery and suffering will carry them through 
now. Already God is at work opening the hearts of Americans all across 
the Nation who are helping rebuild these houses of worship.
  These random acts of kindness show America will not move back to a 
time of fear, ignorance, and prejudice. We will move forward to a world 
of racial and religious tolerance, acceptance, and respect.
  All Americans are entitled to the right to worship their God. Let us 
renew our faith and remember what a privilege it is to freely be able 
to practice our religion according to the dictates of our own 
conscience. This resolution recognizes and reenforces that right. I 
fully support it and want it to pass.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, my heart goes out to the victims of the 
recent rash of church burnings. Like so many Americans, I have watched 
with great dismay and real sadness as one after another African-
American house of worship has gone up in flames. There have been at 
least 35 fires of suspicious origin at these churches in the last 18 
months. As a nation, we will not tolerate this attack on African-
Americans and their right to exercise their religion freely and in 
peace. I know that the vast majority of Americans joins with us today 
in condemning these acts of destruction and recognizing that we cannot 
allow a small number of hate-filled people to derail the progress we 
have made toward ending racial discrimination and intolerance.
  We have seen in recent years the destruction of well over 100 houses 
of worship serving people of different faiths and different races. This 
resolution rightfully condems all those acts of destruction and 
desecration.
  The burning of these churches--which constitute the heart and soul of 
the communities they serve--is a national tragedy that requires a 
strong and swift response. I commend President Clinton both for his 
moral leadership on this issue and his commitment of all possible 
Federal resources to the investigation and prosecution of the 
perpetrators of these vicious crimes. I hope we will be able to help 
these Federal law enforcement efforts by passing legislation introduced 
by Senators Kennedy and Faircloth that gives Federal officials more 
tools to fight these terrible acts. Bringing these arsonists to justice 
must be one of our highest national priorities.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the continued spate of burnings of 
African-American churches in the South is a national tragedy. I commend 
Attorney General Reno for redoubling the efforts of the Department of 
Justice to catch the perpetrators of these most heinous crimes. I have 
also joined with Senator Faircloth in cosponsoring legislation which 
reiterates that burning of a church is a Federal crime and lowers the 
damages threshold to bring Federal enforcement.

[[Page S6386]]

  One of out most precious freedoms is to practice our religious 
beliefs. To have that freedom abridged because of racist acts is doubly 
troubling.
  I know that substantial efforts have been made to investigate these 
fires. But it is clear that more must be done because the fires, some 
30 in all over the past year and a half, keep happening. The leadership 
of my Commonwealth is responding. The attorney general of Virginia, Jim 
Gilmore, was recently elected as chairman of the southern region of the 
National Association of Attorneys General. One of his first acts was to 
organize a coordinated effort among southern attorneys general to 
combat hate crimes such as church burnings. His leadership on this 
issue will bring results, and I commend him and the organization for 
taking this action.
  Everybody concerned with the rash of church burnings wants to know 
whether these crimes are the work of an organized group or isolated 
instances of violence. I hope that the efforts of the State attorneys 
general and of the Department of Justice will answer this question. 
Just as importantly, I hope that whomever is committing these horrible 
crimes will see that law enforcement across the country is committed to 
solving and preventing these despicable acts. Even one instance of 
church arson is too many--to have dozens of church burnings is a crisis 
that must be solved.
  Unfortunately, as disturbing as these cases of arson are, they are 
not the only instances of racist violence intruding on the right to 
worship. Yesterday, a church in Charles County, VA, was defaced with 
racist words and symbols. The Mount Zion Baptist Church has served the 
Charles City community since 1812 and is celebrating its 100th year at 
its present location.
  Now the Federal Government cannot protect every church in America. I 
hope, however, that by finding and prosecuting arsonists and by 
encouraging law enforcement efforts such as those led by Attorney 
General Gilmore, the Federal authorities can make a difference in 
protecting America's houses of worship.
  The wife of the pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church was quoted that 
the church will survive this racist incident. She said that the 
``membership is just going to bind closer together.'' I wish them well, 
and my thoughts go out to all who have suffered at the hands of 
cowardly attacks on our churches.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
and the preamble be agreed to; that the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table; and that any statements relating thereto be printed in 
the Record at the appropriate place as if read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 265) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                              S. Res. 265

       Whereas there have been at least 156 fires in houses of 
     worship across the Nation since October 1991;
       Whereas there have been at least 35 fires of suspicious 
     origin at churches serving African-American communities in 
     the last 18 months;
       Whereas these churches and houses of worship are a vital 
     part of the life of these communities;
       Whereas intentionally burning churches or other houses of 
     worship is a very heinous crime;
       Whereas intentionally burning churches, when done to 
     intimidate any American from the free exercise of his or her 
     rights as an American, is inconsistent with the first 
     amendment of the United States Constitution, which guarantees 
     every American the right to the free exercise of his or her 
     religion, and which ensures that Americans can freely and 
     peaceably assemble together; and,
       Whereas intentionally burning churches, when done to 
     intimidate any American from the free exercise of his or her 
     rights, is a serious national problem that must be 
     expeditiously and vigorously addressed: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate condemns arson and other acts of desecration 
     against churches and other houses of worship as being totally 
     inconsistent with fundamental American values; and
       (2) The Senate believes investigation and prosecution of 
     those who are responsible for fires at churches or other 
     houses of worship, and especially any incidents of arson 
     whose purpose is to divide communities or to intimidate any 
     Americans, should be a high national priority.

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator 
Cochran's name be added as a cosponsor of this Senate resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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