The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed new legislation that combats anti-Asian hate.
On Thursday, the Senate voted in favour of establishing a new Justice Department position to expedite the review of hate crimes against Asians and to provide support for local law enforcement to respond to anti-Asian violence.
In response to the recent surge in attacks against Asian Americans, a bill that would address the issue was proposed by Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Grace Meng.
Last week, the Senate voted in favour of advancing the bill 92-6. All six who voted against it were Republicans including presidential hopefuls Sens. Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley.
Yesterday, the Senate once again voted in favour of the bill 94-1, with Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri being the only senator to vote against it. Two Democratic senators and three Republicans did not vote.
The bill will now head to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass with wide bipartisan support.
Hirono praised the bipartisan vote, saying it sends “a powerful message of solidarity to our AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community.”
“Now, I urge the House to swiftly pass this legislation so President Biden can sign it into law,” Hirono wrote on Twitter.
There has been a recent rise in attacks on Asians across America. In response, a Brooklyn woman is giving out free safety alarms to Asian Americans in New York City.
Recent attacks against the country include an Asian woman who was hit in the face in Philadelphia.
In California, a Vietnamese family was tied up in their own home by robbers who stole their entire life savings in Oakland, California.
Also in California, an elderly Asian American woman was kicked in the face by a suspect who was on parole for fatally stabbing his mother.
Elsewhere, a firefighter who attacked an Asian American man claims he was drugged before the attack.
Additionally, the man who harassed Olympian Sakura Kokumai has been arrested for attacking a senior Korean couple.
Most recently, a cup of urine with racist anti-Chinese messages was left on a Japanese American woman’s car in California.
PASSED: Today, the US Senate rejects anti-Asian hate.
This historic, bipartisan vote on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is a powerful message of solidarity to our AAPI community. Now, I urge the House to swiftly pass this legislation so President Biden can sign it into law. pic.twitter.com/gaoLgnwgO9
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) April 22, 2021
