WASHINGTON (WAND) - President Joe Biden has signed a bill against hate crimes that have targeted Asian-Americans into law.
The legislation, which passed the U.S. Senate in a 94-1 vote this April, moved through the U.S. House with a 364-62 tally. All of the 62 "no" votes were from Republicans.
It looks to address a rise in hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill directs the U.S. Department of Justice to expedite a review of hate crimes reported to law enforcement agencies and help them with reporting such issues online and performing public outreach.
It also aims at mitigate racially discriminatory language in describing the pandemic by having the attorney general and Department of Health and Human Services issue best-practice guidance.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement applauding the president for signing this bill:
“After a year of unfathomable suffering and rising hate crimes against the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community, making the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act the law of the land sends a strong and resolute message that our entire nation is committed to ending AANHPI hate,” said Duckworth. “I’m proud to have helped Senator Hirono introduce this important legislation in the Senate to strengthen our enforcement of existing hate crime laws and support victims of this senseless, misguided violence. It is long past time to break the cycle of discrimination against the AANHPI community and I’m honored President Biden signed our legislation into law today to take a step toward accomplishing that goal.”
