President poised to sign bill to fight anti-Asian American hate

SCREEN CAPTURE / C-SPAN

The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly, 364-62, to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Tuesday. 

The bill will help to address the alarming surge in anti-Asian violence that has occurred throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by improving hate crime tracking and reporting and providing resources to victims of hate crimes. 

“House passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on a strong bipartisan vote today sends a powerful, unified message that the United States Congress stands in solidarity with the AAPI community as we confront this epidemic of intolerance and hate,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono, who sponsored the bill in the Senate.

President Biden said that he would sign the bill into law. When the Senate passed the bill 94-1 in April, Biden said, "This critical legislation will bring our nation one step closer to achieving justice and equality for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

"I look forward ... to signing this important legislation into law," said Biden.

The bill would improve the tracking hate crime tracking and reporting and providing resources to victims of hate crimes. The act also instructs the Justice Department to create a review process that expedites the processing of anti-Asian hate crimes related to COVID-19, designating an officer "whose responsibility during the applicable period shall be to facilitate the expedited review of hate crimes."

The bill, introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono, D-HI, and Rep. Grace Meng, NY-06, received bipartisan support but all the nay votes came from Republicans.

“I am truly heartened to see so many of my colleagues stand against this bigotry and discrimination," said Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA, and chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. 

"Those of Asian descent have been blamed and scapegoated for the outbreak of COVID-19, and as a result Asian Americans have been beaten, slashed, spat on and even killed," she said. "The Asian American community is exhausted from being forced to endure this ongoing racism and prejudice. Asian Americans are tired of living in fear, and being frightened about their kids or elderly parents going outside."

"I commend my colleagues in the House for taking action to combat the despicable and sickening acts hate and violence against Asian Americans, and for having the Asian American community’s back as we fight this xenophobia and racist attacks.,” said co-author Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY.