The U.S. Senate backs a bill that addresses hate crimes against Asian Americans

The U.S. Senate has fully voted to pass a bill aimed at improving the ability of federal, state, and local law enforcement to respond to hate crimes, especially those aimed at Asian Americans.

The Senate voted 94-1 on Thursday as a rare example of a Capitol Hill bilateral agreement to pass the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act. Josh Hawley Republican senator from Missouri, was the only MP opposed.

The bill proposes a new office in the U.S. Department of Justice specifically to address hate crimes against Asian Americans. He will now be sent home, and is likely to find similar support from both parties.

The Senate bill was introduced by Democratic senators Mazie Hirono and Tammy Duckworth of Hawaii and Illinois, respectively, to address the higher number of hate crimes committed against Asian Americans in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Legislation in the House is backed by New York Democrat Grace Meng.

Hirono and Duckworth are the only Asian-Americans in the top 100 members of Congress.

The legislation was introduced before last month’s shooting in Atlanta that killed eight people. including six Asian American women. Those killings put pressure on members of Congress to take action to mark a year a large rise in crime against Asian Americans.

The Stop AAPI Hate Initiative advocacy group recorded nearly 3,800 hate incidents among Asian Americans between March 2020 and February 2021. The Hate Crimes and Extremism Study Center at the State University of California found that hate crimes at the State University of California rose nearly 150 percent last year.

Critics have blamed former U.S. President Donald Trump for often calling coronaviruses “Kung flu” and “China virus” for fanfare of the flames of racism.

“Today the Senate has said enough is enough, and has clearly stressed that there is no room for hatred in our society,” Menge said.

“Reporting hate crimes will provide us with more data and more accurate images of attacks on Asian origins, and a more centralized and unified way to review these crimes would help solve the problem more effectively.”

The Senate bill introduced by Hirono and Duckworth was amended to include separate legislation against hate speech presented by Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal and Kansas Republican Jerry Moran. Their proposals would expand resources to report hate crimes and increase investment in support for victims of hate crimes.

“Let no one say in the U.S. Senate that we can’t have bills, important bills, bipartisan parties,” Blumenthal said Thursday. “When American values ​​are in line, we can do them.”