[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 27 (Monday, July 8, 1996)]
[Page 1189]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996

July 3, 1996

    Today I have signed into law H.R. 3525, the ``Church Arson 
Prevention Act of 1996,'' which will make it easier to prosecute those 
who set fire to churches. I applaud the Congress' swift, unanimous, and 
bipartisan passage of this bill. I have signed it promptly upon its 
transmittal to me so that the new law can go into effect as soon as 
possible, but I plan to acknowledge the Congress' role more formally and 
discuss the importance of this measure at an appropriate occasion next 
week.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
July 3, 1996.

Note: H.R. 3525, approved July 3, was assigned Public Law No. 104-155.