Thomas Daschle: “I join with my fellow Senators today in condemning the rash of church burnings that has plagued our Nation in recent…”

“I join with my fellow Senators today in condemning the rash of church burnings that has plagued our Nation in recent years. Since 1991, we have seen over 150 fires at houses of worship serving people of all races and faiths. In the past 18 months more than 35 African-American churches have been burned to the ground. These churches and temples are the heart and soul of the communities they serve, and their destruction represents an egregious act of hatred against these worshippers. As a nation, we cannot stand idly by and allow Americans to be denied their fundamental right to the free exercise of their religion, nor can we tolerate racial hatred and religious intolerance. I am proud that President Clinton has spoken out so forcefully against these heinous acts and hopeful that his commitment of all possible Federal resources to the investigation and prosecution of these crimes will bring an end to this national tragedy. The President has offered both moral leadership and the full power available to him as the chief executive in the fight to bring these criminals to justice, and I commend him for his actions. I am also heartened by the fact that the legislative effort has been a bipartisan one.”