WASHINGTON— Today, the House of Representatives passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. The bill includes provisions to address the reporting of hate crimes, establish hate crime hotlines, rehabilitate perpetrators of hate crimes with community service, and encourage law enforcement to focus on prevention, training, and education efforts. The bill also addresses the rise in anti-Asian violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and requires the Department of Justice to conduct an expedited review of COVID-19 related hate crimes. After voting for the legislation, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva issued the following statement:

“Asian communities are part of the cultural fabric of our nation and deserve to live their lives free from violence and discrimination. Anti-Asian rhetoric, like that often used by former President Trump to describe the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in an alarming increase in violent attacks directed at Asian communities. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act addresses this violence and equips law enforcement with the tools they need to prevent attacks while improving existing reporting mechanisms to ensure more reliable data. We must do more to root out hate in this country and protect vulnerable communities.”

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