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Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act

Floor Speech

By: Judy Chu
By: Judy Chu
Date: May 18, 2021
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Criminal Justice

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Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the COVID- 19 Hate Crimes Act.

Since the start of this pandemic, Asian Americans have been terrified by the near-daily attacks in our communities. Shocking videos like the fatal assault of 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, and the horrific shootings of eight people at three Asian-owned spas in Georgia brought national attention to this issue, but it also showed that our national response to combating hate crimes is lacking.

That is why today's vote is so important. The bill would create a new position at the U.S. Department of Justice to better track and address COVID-19 hate crimes. It also includes the text of the bill I co-lead, the NO HATE Act, which improves hate crime reporting by law enforcement and provides grants for community-centered solutions to fight hate.

After a year in which we have seen over 6,600 anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents, finally we are helping the Asian-American community fight back.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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