US House passes anti-Asian hate crimes bill
Legislation sent to Biden for signature; also votes for probe into Jan 6 Capitol riot
WASHINGTON — The US House of Representatives on May 18 voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill aimed at combating the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the country, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature.
The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act passed in a 364-62 vote in the House, with all no votes coming from Republicans. The Senate last month approved the bill on a 94-1 vote. Biden is expected to sign the bill into law as soon as May 20.
“After a year of the Asian American community crying out for help, today Congress is taking historic action to pass long overdue hate crimes legislation and send the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to President Biden’s desk,” Judy Chu, Democratic congresswoman from California and chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, told reporters before the vote.
“The past year and a half has been one of pain and struggle marked by despicable and sickening acts of hate and violence against the AsianAmerican community,” Democratic Congresswoman Grace Meng, who coauthored the legislation with Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono, said at a news conference on May 18.
“Those of Asian descent have been blamed and scapegoated for the outbreak of COVID-19 and as a result Asian Americans have been beaten, slashed, spat on and even set on fire and killed,” Meng said.
The legislation would create a position at the Justice Department to expedite a review of COVID-19-related hate crimes; provide grants for states to create hotlines for reporting hate crimes and for law enforcement training aimed at preventing and identifying hate crimes; and direct federal agencies to work with community organizations to help raise awareness about hate crimes during the pandemic.
“The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act will strengthen our defenses to prevent and combat anti-AAPI violence and will build on steps already taken by President Biden. Together these actions will make a significant difference in how we address hate crimes in America, not only during this pandemic, but for years to come,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, referring to the recent spate of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Reported hate crimes against Asian Americans in 16 of the nation’s largest cities and counties have increased 164 percent since last year, a recent study from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino showed.
In another development, the House of Representatives on May 19 voted to create an independent commission to probe the deadly Jan 6 attack on the Capitol by former President
Donald Trump’s supporters, as one in six Republicans defied party leaders’ attempts to block it.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell had worked to kill a bipartisan bill to establish the commission to investigate the violence that left five dead including a Capitol police officer.
But the House voted by 252-175 to approve the commission, which was styled after the panel that probed attacks on the US on Sept 11, 2001. The bill now goes to the Senate where its future is uncertain.
In the 50-50 Senate — controlled by Democrats only because Vice President Kamala Harris can cast tiebreaking votes — Republicans can block the legislation.
At least 60 votes are needed to advance most bills.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said she could launch regular committee hearings with “full subpoena power” to investigate the riot if Senate Republicans block the commission.
The commission would be charged with examining security and intelligence failures surrounding the riot in which Trump’s supporters, after he delivered an incendiary speech, interrupted the formal congressional certification of Biden’s victory in the November election.
Trump on May 18 urged Republicans to vote against the proposal, calling it a “trap” inspired by “the radical left.”
Meanwhile, the New York attorney general’s office said on May 18 it has now opened a criminal investigation into Trump’s company, going beyond what began as a civil probe.
Attorney General Letitia James has been investigating whether the Trump Organization falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.