III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 580 

Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID–19. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 14, 2020 

Ms. HARRIS (for herself, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Ms. HIRONO, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. 

MARKEY, Ms. SMITH, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. WARNER, Mr. CARDIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, 

Mr. CARPER, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. SANDERS, 

Mr. COONS, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. KAINE, Ms. 

WARREN, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. CASEY, and Mr. BOOKER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related 

to COVID–19. 

Whereas 23,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 

account for 7 percent of the population in the United 

States; 

Whereas over 2,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are working on the front lines of the COVID–19 pandemic in health care, law enforcement, first response, and 

transportation, as well as in service industries that involve keeping supermarkets operational; 

Whereas the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric related to COVID–19, such as the ‘‘Chinese Virus’’, 


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•SRES 580 IS 

‘‘Wuhan Virus’’, and ‘‘Kung-flu’’, have perpetuated antiAsian stigma; 

Whereas, since January 2020, there has been a dramatic increase in reports of hate crimes and incidents against 

those of Asian descent; 

Whereas, according to a recent study, there were over 400 

cases of anti-Asian discrimination related to COVID–19 

between February 9, 2020, and March 7, 2020; 

Whereas the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric has resulted 

in Asian Americans being harassed, assaulted, and 

scapegoated for the COVID–19 pandemic; 

Whereas, in incidents of anti-Asian violence occurring in 

March 2020, a woman wearing a mask was kicked and 

punched at a New York City subway station, 2 children 

and 2 adults were stabbed at a wholesale grocery in Midland, Texas, a couple was assaulted and robbed by a 

group of attackers in Philadelphia, and a 16-year-old boy 

was sent to the hospital after being attacked by bullies 

in Los Angeles, California; 

Whereas the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric has also resulted in Asian American businesses being targeted for 

vandalism; 

Whereas there are approximately 2,000,000 Asian Americanowned businesses that generate over $700,000,000,000 in 

annual revenue and employ millions of workers; 

Whereas more than 1,900,000 Asian American and Pacific 

Islander older adults, particularly those older adults who 

are recent immigrants or have limited English proficiency, may face even greater challenges in dealing with 

the COVID–19 pandemic, including discrimination, economic insecurity, and language isolation; 


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•SRES 580 IS 

Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) and the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize that naming COVID–19 by its geographic location 

or linking COVID–19 to a specific ethnicity perpetuates 

stigma; 

Whereas, in 2015, the WHO issued guidance calling on 

media outlets, scientists, and national authorities to avoid 

naming infectious diseases for locations to avoid stigmatizing groups of people; 

Whereas, on February 27, 2020, the Secretary of Health and 

Human Services stated, ‘‘ethnicity is not what causes the 

novel coronavirus’’ and that it is inappropriate and inaccurate to call COVID–19 the ‘‘Chinese virus’’; 

Whereas, on February 28, 2020, Dr. Mitch Wolfe, the Chief 

Medical Officer of the CDC, said, ‘‘stigma is the enemy 

of public health’’; 

Whereas, on March 10, 2020, Dr. Robert Redfield, the Director of the CDC, testified that use of the term ‘‘Chinese 

coronavirus’’ is wrong and inappropriate; and 

Whereas the Secretary-General of the United Nations called 

for international solidarity and an end to any ill-founded 

discrimination against the outbreak’s victims: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) calls on all public officials to condemn and 

3 denounce anti-Asian sentiment in any form; 

4 (2) recognizes that the health and safety of all 

5 Americans, no matter their background, must be the 

6 utmost priority; 


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•SRES 580 IS 

1 (3) condemns all manifestations or expressions 

2 of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian 

3 sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or religious in4 tolerance; 

5 (4) calls on Federal law enforcement officials, 

6 working with State and local officials— 

7 (A) to expeditiously investigate and docu8 ment all credible reports of hate crimes, inci9 dents, and threats against the Asian American 

10 and Pacific Islander community in the United 

11 States; 

12 (B) to collect data to document the rise of 

13 incidents of hate crimes relating to COVID–19; 

14 and 

15 (C) to hold the perpetrators of those 

16 crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and 

17 bring such perpetrators to justice, including 

18 through investigation and prosecution; and 

19 (5) recommits the United States to serving as 

20 a world leader in building more inclusive, diverse, 

21 and tolerant societies— 

22 (A) by prioritizing language access and 

23 inclusivity in communication practices; and 


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•SRES 580 IS 

1 (B) by combating misinformation and dis2 crimination that put Asian Americans and Pa3 cific Islanders at risk. 

Æ 


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