HCONRES 186 · 104th Congress · Crime and Law Enforcement

Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to recent church burnings.

Introduced 1996-06-13· Sponsored by Rep. Watts, J. C., Jr. [R-OK-4]· House

Bill Progress

Introduced
2
Committee
3
House Vote
4
Senate
5
Enacted
Latest: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.(1996-06-13)

Plain Language Summary

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Condemns the burning of African-American churches. Sends condolences to affected individuals. Supports the activities of local law enforcement officials, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Treasury in investigating these incidents. Urges: (1) the United States Attorney General and local prosecutors to seek the maximum penalty available under law to punish the perpetrators; and (2) the President to make the fullest possible use of all available law enforcement resources to bring the culprits to justice. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) attacks on places of worship because of the race, color, denomination, or ethnicity of the congregation undermine fundamental American ideals; (2) these fires appear to be hate crimes and implicitly interfere with the First Amendment and other civil rights of the victims; (3) the arson of a place of worship is repulsive to us as a society; and (4) it is important that the Congress enact legislation to ensure that Federal law enforcement has the necessary tools to punish and deter such acts. Encourages: (1) the people of the United States to work within their own communities to prevent arson against African-American or an…

Summarized by Claude AI · Non-partisan · For informational purposes only

Cosponsors (20)

5 Democrats15 Republicans