US President, Joe Biden on Thursday, May 20, signed into law an anti-hate crime legislation in response to the wave of attacks on Asian Americans amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
The newly constituted law, COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, would establish a position within the Justice Department centered on anti-Asian hate crimes and assign resources to upgrade state and local reporting.
Vice President Kamala Harris who is a person of Asian descent opened the signing ceremony by recognizing the efforts of lawmakers present for their work including Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., who introduced the bill.
Kamal Harris said :
To the members of our United States Congress on both sides of the aisle who helped pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, thank you,” – Because of you, history will remember this day and this moment when our nation took action to combat hate.”
Joe Biden ‘s Statement :-
Biden said he hopes the signing ceremony, which comes during Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, Heritage Month, marks the end “first significant break” in a hyper-partisan era and sends this message to the Asian American community: “We see you.”
For centuries, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, diverse and vibrant communities have helped build this nation only to be often stepped over, forgotten, or ignored,” .
“My message to all of those who are hurting is, we see you. And the Congress has said, we see you. And we are committed to stop the hatred and the bias.”
According to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans tripled in the first quarter of 2021.