Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. KIM of California. Madam Speaker, as one of the first Korean- American women to serve in Congress, I am proud to rise today in solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander community and in strong support of the Senate-amended, bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, S. 937. I also note the concerns raised by my colleague, Mr. Jordan.

As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month throughout the month of May, it cannot be ignored that the hate and bias targeting the AAPI community are on the rise. Hate against any ethnic group is unacceptable. This is not who we are as Americans, and it is not reflective of the country that welcomed me and my family into its fabric.

That is why I am glad Congress is coming together in a bipartisan way to take steps against the hate targeting communities like the AAPI community. However, let's also recognize that we cannot legislate hate out of people's hearts and minds. We must treat each other with respect and see each other as Americans. I will continue to do my part, and I will always stand in solidarity with my AAPI community.

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