US senate passes hate crime bill in response to the increasing rate of violence against Asian Americans.

 

The American New

Published by Edward Barbacana

US senate passes hate crime bill in response to the increasing rate of violence against Asian Americans.

Washington -  The US senate passed legislation on thursday targeting anti - asian hate crimes after numerous incidents of violence against asian americans mostly committed by white americans triggered by the covid-19 pandemic.  Attacks against asians becomes much worse after Trump's term ended.  There were also reports of attacks against Asians were done by blacks Americans and BLM activists. 

US lawmakers approved the proposed bill in a 94 - 1 vote.  Senator Josh Hawley, was the only member who opposed the bill. 

Sen Josh  Hawley, was the only member

   who opposed the proposed bill

The legislation, introduced by Senator Mazzie Hirono, D - Hawaii, in March, would direct the Department of Justice to expedite the review of  different hate crimes occured during the pandemic  in different parts of the United States that were reported to law enforcement agencies and help them find ways to report such absurd incidents online and perform public outreach. 

" Racism has always existed in America and the legacy of anti - Asian sentiment goes back centuries to dark chapters in our history, like the Chinese exclusion act and the internment of Japanese citizen during WWII,"  Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the senate floor thursday before the vote.

" Now, we've made made great strides  since those days but over the past several years the forces of hate and bigotry seem to have gained strength, too often encouraged by our former president ," he continued. " By passing this bill,  the  senate makes it very clear that hate and discrimination against any group has no place in America. Bigotry against one is bigotry against all." 

The vote comes after Schumer urged Republicans not to block debate on overall legislation.