Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996
PL 104-155 (H.R.3525), enacted 07/03/1996

110 STAT. 1392 
PUBLIC LAW 104-155-JULY 3, 1996 
Public Law 104-155 
104th Congress 
An Act 
July 3, 1996 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify the Federal jurisdiction over 
[H.R. 3525] 
offenses relating to damage to religious property. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
Church Arson 
the United States of America in Congress assembled. 
Prevention Act of 
1996. 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Church Arson Prevention Act 
of 1996". 
18 u s e 247 note. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) The incidence of arson or other destruction or vandalism 
of places of religious worship, and the incidence of violent 
interference with an individual's lawful exercise or attempted 
exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of religious 
worship pose a serious national problem. 
(2) The incidence of arson of places of religious worship 
has recently increased, especially in the context of places of 
religious worship that serve predominantly African-American 
congregations. 
(3) Changes in Federal law are necessary to deal properly 
with this problem. 
(4) Although local jurisdictions have attempted to respond 
to the challenges posed by such acts of destruction or damage 
to religious property, the problem is sufficiently serious, wide-
spread, and interstate in scope to warrant Federal intervention 
to assist State eind local jurisdictions. 
(5) Congress has authority, pursuant to the Commerce 
Clause of the Constitution, to make acts of destruction or 
damage to religious property a violation of Federal law. 
(6) Congress has authority, pursuant to section 2 of the 
13th amendment to the Constitution, to make actions of private 
citizens motivated by race, color, or ethnicity that interfere 
with the ability of citizens to hold or use religious property 
without fear of attack, violations of Federal criminal law. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF VIOLENT INTERFERENCE WITH RELIGIOUS 
WORSHIP. 
Section 247 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking "subsection (c) of this 
section" and inserting "subsection (d)"; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e), as sub-
sections (d), (e), and (f), respectively; 
(3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following: 
PUBLIC LAW 104-155-^ULY 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 1393 
"(b) The circumstances referred to in subsection (a) are that 
the offense is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce. 
"(c) Whoever intentionally defaces, damages, or destroys any 
religious real property because of the race, color, or ethnic character-
istics of any individual associated with that religious property, 
or attempts to do so, shall be punished as provided in subsection 
(d)."; 
(4) in subsection (d), as redesignated— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by inserting "to any person, including any public 
safety officer performing duties as a direct or proximate 
result of conduct prohibited by this section," after "bod-
ily injury"; and 
(ii) by striking "ten years" and inserting "20 years"; 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as para-
graphs (3) and (4), respectively; 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: 
"(2) if bodily injury results to any person, including any 
public safety officer performing duties as a direct or proximate 
result of conduct prohibited by this section, and the violation 
is by means of fire or an explosive, a fine under this title 
or imprisonment for not more that 40 years, or both;"; 
(5) in subsection (f), as redesignated— 
(A) by striking "religious property" and inserting "reli-
gious real property" both places it appears; and 
(B) by inserting ", including fixtures or religious objects 
contained within a place of religious worship" before the 
period; and 
(6) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
"(g) No person shall be prosecuted, tried, or punished for any 
noncapital offense under this section unless the indictment is found 
or the information is instituted not later than 7 years after the 
date on which the offense was committed.". 
SEC. 
4
. 
LOAN 
GUARANTEE 
RECOVERY 
FUND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Using amounts described in paragraph Regulations. 
(2), the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (referred 
to as the "Secretary") shall make guaranteed loans to financial 
institutions in connection with loans made by such institutions 
to assist organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that have been damaged as 
a result of acts of arson or terrorism in accordance with such 
procedures as the Secretary shall establish by regulation. 
(2) USE OF CREDIT SUBSIDY.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, for the cost of loan guarantees under this 
section, the Secretary may use not more than $5,000,000 of 
the amounts made available for fiscal year 1996 for the credit 
subsidy provided under the Greneral Insurance Fund and the 
Special Risk Insurance Fund. 
(b) TREATMENT OF COSTS.—^The costs of guaranteed loans under 
this section, including the cost of modifying loans, shall be as 
defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 
(c) LIMIT ON LOAN PRINCIPAL.—Funds made available under 
this section shall be available to subsidize total loan principal, 
any part of which is to be guaranteed, not to exceed $10,000,000. 
(d) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—^The Secretary shall— 
110 STAT. 1394 
PUBLIC LAW 1 0 4 - 1 5 5 - J U L Y 3, 1996 
(1) establish such terms and conditions as the Secretary 
considers to be appropriate to provide loan guarantees under 
this section, consistent with section 503 of the Credit Reform 
Act; and 
(2) include in the terms and conditions a requirement that 
the decision to provide a loan guarantee to a financial institu-
tion and the amount of the guarantee does not in any way 
depend on the purpose, function, or identity of the organization 
to which the financial institution has made, or intends to make, 
a loan. 
SEC. 5. COMPENSATION OF VICTIMS; REQUIREMENT OF INCLUSION 
IN LIST OF CRIMES ELIGIBLE FOR COMPENSATION. 
Section 1403(d)(3) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 
U.S.C. 10602(d)(3)) is amended by inserting "crimes, whose victims 
suffer death or personal injury, that are described in section 247 
of title 18, United States Code," after "includes". 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO ASSIST 
STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department 
of the Treasury and the Department of Justice, including the 
Community Relations Service, in fiscal years 1996 and 1997 such 
sums as are necessary to increase the number of personnel, inves-
tigators, and technical support personnel to investigate, prevent, 
and respond to potential violations of sections 247 and 844 of 
title 18, United States Code. 
SEC. 7. REAUTHORIZATION OF HATE CRIMES STATISTICS ACT. 
The first section of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act (28 U.S.C. 
534 note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking "for the calendar year 
1990 and each of the succeeding 4 calendar years" and inserting 
"for each calendar year"; and 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking "1994" and inserting 
"2002". 
PUBLIC LAW 104-155-JULY 3, 1996 
110 STAT. 1395 
SEC. 8. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS. 
The Congress— 
(1) commends those individuals and entities that have 
responded with funds to assist in the rebuilding of places of 
worship that have been victimized by arson; and 
(2) encourages the private sector to continue these efforts 
so that places of worship that are victimized by arson, and 
their affected communities, can continue the rebuilding process 
with maximum financial support from private individuals, 
businesses, charitable organizations, and other non-profit enti-
ties. 
Approved July 3, 1996. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3525 (S. 1890): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 104-621 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 142 (1996): 
June 18, considered and passed House. 
June 26, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
June 27, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, VoL 32 (1996): 
July 3, Presidential statement.