[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 27 (Monday, July 8, 1996)]
[Pages 1165-1166]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Announcing Emergency Action To Prevent Church Burnings

July 2, 1996

    Good morning. I'd like to begin today by saluting the law 
enforcement officers who made the arrest in Arizona yesterday to avert a 
terrible terrorist attack. Their dedication and hard work over the last 
6 months may have saved many lives, and they deserve our thanks.
    I'd like to offer a special congratulations to the gentleman to my 
right, Ray Kelly, the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Enforcement, 
for his role in that endeavor.
    Just as we acted to prevent a vicious crime from occurring there, 
today I'm announcing stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of 
violence against houses of worship. Again, I want to thank Mr. Kelly and 
Nancy Gist, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, who is 
standing to my left, the representatives of the law enforcement 
organizations who are here and who have been supporting our efforts.
    These attacks against African-American churches and other houses of 
worship are an affront to our most basic beliefs of religious liberty 
and racial tolerance. They pose a challenge to our entire Nation. I am 
gratified that law enforcement, government, business, and religious 
leaders are coming together to meet this challenge. Today, attorneys 
general from throughout our Nation are meeting at Howard University to 
discuss the problem.
    I am also pleased that Congress acted quickly to pass legislation 
making it easier to prosecute and punish anyone who burns a house of 
worship, and I am eager to sign that legislation as soon as possible. 
I'm gratified by the outpouring of private support that will help to 
rebuild communities that are torn apart by these actions.
    But we must do more to prevent these crimes. Last week, I asked 
Federal Emergency Management administrator James Lee Witt to take the 
lead in working with law enforcement to find ways to stop the burnings 
before they happen and to give our communities the tools they need to 
help in the prevention effort.
    Today, I am taking emergency action to prevent church burnings by 
transferring $6 million to communities in 12 targeted States. This 
emergency transfer would allow every county in the affected States to 
hire a new police officer for the summer to patrol the back roads, to 
visit the churches, to keep watch for signs of trouble.
    These new officers, working with local police and community watch 
groups, can maintain a wall of protection to ward off people who would 
strike out in hate at a house of worship. Or communities can spend the

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money for other purposes, installing floodlights, hiring private 
security guards, paying overtime for existing officers, whatever they 
believe will work best to forestall the fires.
    I'm asking Congress to quickly approve the transfer through a 
special procedure that allows action without a time-consuming floor 
vote. We don't have any time to waste. With this step, the National 
Government will be helping local police not only to investigate arson 
and apprehend the guilty but to help to physically protect churches from 
harm in the first place.
    If this emergency measure is not enough to beat back the church 
burnings, we will take further steps as needed. This is a struggle 
against racism and religious bigotry, and we will escalate that struggle 
as necessary with enough people power and willpower to make sure the 
struggle is won. This is a test not just for law enforcement but for all 
law-abiding Americans.
    Earlier today, I signed a proclamation designating a national month 
of unity. During the month of July, I call on religious leaders of all 
faiths to speak from the pulpit and emphasize the need for healing. And 
I call on all citizens to join together, to reach out to one another, to 
strengthen the ideals that light our way and keep us strong.
    On Thursday, we will celebrate America's Independence Day. This 
year, let us take this opportunity to rededicate ourselves once again to 
the proposition that all Americans are created equal and that every 
American should be able to worship in freedom and freedom from fear.
    Thank you very much. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 11:39 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House.