Subject: HCSA PERMANENTLY REAUTHORIZED
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 19:37:56 -0400

************************************
PRESS RELEASE
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
2320 17th St. NW; Washington, DC 20009
Contact:  Tracey Conaty (202) 332-6483 ext. 3303 [email-masked]      
************************************
   
NGLTF APPLAUDS CONGRESSIONAL PASSAGE OF 
CHURCH ARSON PREVENTION ACT;

PERMANENTLY REAUTHORIZES 
HATE CRIME STATISTICS ACT 

Washington, D.C. -- June 27, 1996...The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF) applauded final Congressional passage today of the "Church Arson
Prevention Act of 1996."  The measure will broaden the ability of the federal
government to seek criminal penalties in cases involving vandalism or
destruction of religious institutions.  The bill also permanently
reauthorizes the Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA).  Though it only authorizes
appropriations for HCSA through the year 2002, its permanent mandate of HCSA
is a victory for the gay/lesbian/bisexual community and all groups included
in the measure.

 The "Church Arson Prevention Act" is in response to increased crimes against
religious institutions, especially black churches in the Southeast, in the
past 18 months. According to federal officials, there have been over 243
attacks against religious institutions - black churches and white churches,
synagogues and mosques - since May 1990.  Over half of these attacks have
occurred since January 1995.   Most disturbing, 78% of all suspicious church
fires in the Southeast occurred at black churches.

 The legislation, passed yesterday by the Senate and today by the House,
breathes new life into the Hate Crime Statistics Act by permanently mandating
the landmark law and authorizing appropriations for it through the year 2002.
 HCSA, which expired at the end of 1995, was passed in 1990 and signed into
law by President George Bush.  HCSA is the first ever federal law to
explicitly include gays, lesbians and bisexuals.  It requires the Department
of Justice to collect and publish annual statistics on crimes that manifest
prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation and ethnic origin.
 Numerous civil rights and religious groups, including NGLTF, have advocated
for the law's permanent authorization.

 Melinda Paras, NGLTF executive director, praised the Church Arson Prevention
Act, both as it relates to the attacks on churches, particularly the recent
slate of burnings of Black churches, and the reauthorization of the Hate
Crime Statistics Act.  Paras also denounced those responsible for the climate
of "intolerance and hostility" that fosters attacks on black churches and
other forms of hate violence.

The following statement can be attributed to Ms. Paras:

The attacks on Black churches of the past 18 months are clearly acts of
cowardice, whether they are based on racial or religious prejudice.  While
the crimes themselves must be denounced, it is also important to denounce
those whose rhetoric perpetuates the climate of intolerance and hostility in
which these crimes occur.  In the past few years, Right-wing political
extremists have increased their rhetoric of divisiveness and intolerance.
 Their campaigns against affirmative action, against immigrants, against gays
and lesbians, and against single mothers create a climate that says it is
okay to be intolerant of those who are different.  While they clearly are not
encouraging destruction of churches and other religious institutions, they do
blame various groups - based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender or sexual
orientation - for all the problems in our society.  Not surprisingly, such
scapegoating leads to an increase in intolerance - and violence.

This rhetoric only perpetuates the hostile environment which allows a few
cowardly individuals to believe it is okay to attack individuals or
institutions that reflect views or beliefs different from their own.  

The legislation adopted by the Senate yesterday and the House today also
includes authorized appropriations for the Hate Crime Statistics Act,
although only through 20002.  Most importantly, however, it provides a
permanent mandate for HCSA.  This sends a clear message that Congress
understands the importance of the Act and the role it plays in helping to
document crimes of hate violence, which occur all too frequently.  We
especially want to acknowledge the leadership of Senators Orrin Hatch and
Paul Simon in moving forward reauthorization of the HCSA. 

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is  the oldest national gay and
lesbian group and is a progressive organization that has supported grassroots
organizing and pioneered in national advocacy since 1973.  Since its
inception, NGLTF has been at the forefront of virtually every major
initiative for lesbian and gay rights.  In all its efforts, NGLTF helps to
strengthen the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender movement at the state
level while connecting these activities to a national vision for change.

###