Photo Courtesy of Rep. Meng’s Office
“Everybody in our country deserves to feel safe, and that includes the Asian American community,” Rep. Meng said Thursday.
By Michael V. Cusenza
New York elected officials on Thursday hailed the Senate’s passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which seeks to help combat the rise in anti-Asian hate related to the coronavirus.
The legislation, which U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) reintroduced last month with Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), was approved Thursday afternoon with bipartisan support. The vote was 94 to 1, according to Meng.
“For more than a year, Asian Americans all across our nation have been screaming out for help, and in passing the legislation sponsored by Senator Hirono and I, the Senate showed that they heard our pleas,” Meng said. “I thank and applaud each and every senator who voted to pass our bill which was a bold step in taking action to combat the ongoing hate and violence against Asian Americans. I also want to especially thank my hometown Senator, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, for shepherding the measure through the Senate and securing its overwhelming bipartisan support. We’ve all heard the sickening stories and seen the horrifying videos of Asian Americans being beaten, slashed and spat on. Today, the Senate said enough is enough, and underscored loud and clear that there is no place for hate anywhere in our society. More reporting of hate crimes will provide us with increased data and a more accurate picture of the attacks that have been occurring against those of Asian descent, and a more centralized and unified way of reviewing these crimes would help to address the problem in a more effective manner.”
The legislation would, among other things, create a position at the Department of Justice to facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 hate crimes, encourage more reporting of incidents in multiple languages, and help make different communities feel more empowered to come forward and report these incidents. It would also direct federal agencies to work with community-based organizations to raise awareness of hate crimes during the pandemic.
“I have heard from so many Asian Americans who tell me that they are scared to walk outside,” Meng said. “Families won’t let their kids go to the park or play outdoors. People are urging their parents and grandparents to stay inside, telling them that they’ll run their errands and deliver groceries to them. Being forced to endure this terror and fear is unconscionable and unacceptable. Everybody in our country deserves to feel safe, and that includes the Asian American community. Again, I commend the Senate for moving our COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act closer to the finish line, and I now look forward to the House swiftly following suit.”
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand added, “We have a shared responsibility to keep Asian community members safe, particularly seniors and women most impacted by the scourge of anti-Asian hatred. It’s on all of us to stand up and speak out against all forms of hatred and violence. I am proud to have co-sponsored the Senate-passed COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, an important step towards confronting this emergency, and to preventing future harm against Asian-Americans.”
The House is expected to take-up Meng’s legislation in May, during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
