Sign in Subscribe
Legislative bills

House Passes COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to Address Spike in Anti-Asian Violence

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted 364-62 to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, a bill that aims to address the alarming surge in anti-Asian violence during the pandemic. The bill, which also includes the text of the bipartisan Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, will help improve hate crime tracking and reporting and provide resources to victims of hate crimes.

The legislation comes after a year in which over 6,600 reported incidents of anti-Asian hate were recorded, with over two-thirds being reported by women. The Asian American community has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with many facing hate crimes and incidents driven by racist and discriminatory language.

Key Takeaways:

  • The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act aims to address the alarming surge in anti-Asian violence during the pandemic, with over 6,600 reported incidents recorded in the last year.
  • The bill includes the text of the bipartisan Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which will strengthen hate crimes reporting by state and local law enforcement through the implementation of the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
  • The legislation provides resources to support victims of hate crimes and creates a new position at the U.S. Department of Justice to better track and address hate crimes and incidents.
  • The bill has gained widespread support, with 364 members of the House voting in favor of its passage.
  • Representatives Grace Meng (NY-06), Judy Chu (CA-27), and Don Beyer (VA-08) were instrumental in introducing and advocating for the bill.
  • The legislation is expected to be signed into law by President Biden, who has indicated that he will sign the bill without delay.

Statistics:

  • Over 6,600 reported incidents of anti-Asian hate have been recorded in the last year.
  • Two-thirds of the anti-Asian hate incidents were reported by women.
  • The Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is the fastest-growing group in America, with over 23 million people identifying as AAPI.
  • 364 members of the House voted in favor of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, while 62 members opposed it.

Sources:

  • [United States House of Representatives]
  • [Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI)]
  • [Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06)]
  • [Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27)]
  • [Speaker Nancy Pelosi]
  • [Rep. Don Beyer (VA-08)]
  • [Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)]
  • [Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS)]
  • [Rep. Fred Upton (MI-06)]
  • [Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL-16)]
  • [Dr. Raul Ruiz, Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus]
  • [Rep. Mark Takano, CAPAC Second Vice Chair]
  • [Rep. Ted Lieu, CAPAC Whip]
  • [Rep. Beyer]

Read more