Opinion ID: 75300
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Involvement in Commerce

Text: The legislative history of § 844(i) reveals that the statute was crafted specifically to include some non-business property such as police stations and churches. Russell v. United States, 471 U.S. 858, 860 (1985). While § 844(i) excludes no particular type of building, the property must be “actively employ[ed] for commercial purposes.” Jones, 120 S. Ct. at 1910. The question here is whether St. Joseph’s Church was sufficiently involved in interstate commerce so that the destruction of this church is covered by § 844(i). Churches are not commonly considered a business enterprise; nonetheless, churches can and do engage in commerce. The “business” or “commerce” of a church involves the solicitation and receipt of donations, and the provision of spiritual, social, community, educational (religious or non-religious) and other charitable services. See, e.g., United States v. Grassie, 237 F.3d 1199, 1204 (10th Cir. 2001) (explaining how the church buildings were used for a broad range of religious, cultural, social, recreational, educational and financial activities). The question of whether a building is used in commerce or affects commerce does not 8 turn merely on whether the activity is engaged in for a profit. Cf. Camps Newfound/Owatonna v. Town of Harrison, 520 U.S. 564, 584-85 (1997) (concluding that the commerce clause applies to charitable and non-profit entities). To require a profit motive would exclude not only universities, museums, schools, think tanks, police and fire stations, but also many hospitals, trade and professional organizations, lobbying organizations, and the non-profit, non-governmental organizations that epitomize commerce and capitalism: stock1 and commodity2 exchanges and the World Trade Organization.3 Cf. id. at 585; Grassie, 237 F.3d 1199, 1210 n.7. In general, churches engage in activities and provide services to their members, to their community and to the public at large; churches solicit contributions to provide these services; and they purchase goods necessary to provide these services. Accordingly, the evidence proving that a church building is used in or affects interstate commerce must relate to these activities -- i.e. whereby it engages in activities relating to its “business” as a church. 1 See, e.g., NYSE, About the NYSE, at http://www.nyse.com/ about/about.html (last visited Feb. 7, 2001). The New York Stock Exchange has been an incorporated non-profit corporation since 1971. Id. 2 See, e.g., Chicago Board of Trade, About CBOT, at http:// www.cbot.com/cbot/www/page/0,1398,10+10+83,00.html (last visited May 14, 2001). The Chicago Board of Trade, the world’s oldest commodity futures exchange, presently operates as self-governing, self-regulated, not-for-profit, non-stock corporation. Id. 3 See World Trade Organization, What is the World Trade Organization, at http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/ tif_e/fact1_e.htm (last visited Feb. 7, 2001). 9 The purchase and receipt of goods or services necessary for or common to the maintenance of any building, such as gas, electricity, insurance, or mortgage loans, do not prove that the function of the building is to engage in commerce. See Jones, 120 S. Ct. at 1910-11. Just as the Jones Court determined that the purchase of natural gas could not rise to level of a private home being “used in or affecting commerce,” id., so too here, the mere receipt of natural gas, whether intrastate or interstate, is insufficient to show that St. Joseph’s Church was used in an activity affecting commerce. On the other hand, the receipt of donations, the purchase of hymnals and payment of dues are the type of commercial activities by which a church would conduct its business as a church, and therefore, engage in commerce.