Condemning recent hate crimes committed against Asian-American and Pacific Islanders.

Bill: 117-hres-153
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Steel, Michelle [R-CA-48]
Introduced: 2021-02-23
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Asia

Assault and harassment offenses

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Criminal justice information and records

Hate crimes

Racial and ethnic relations
Latest action: action_date: 2021-04-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-02-23
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism and anti-Asian and Pacific Islander or ethnic intolerance.</p> <p>The resolution calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local officials, to</p> <ul> <li> expeditiously and vigorously investigate all reports of hate crimes and threats against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States; </li> <li> work to improve the reporting of such hate crimes; and </li> <li> hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and bring the perpetrators to justice.</li> </ul>

tv_txt: IV 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 153 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 23, 2021 Mrs. Steel (for herself, Ms. Porter , Mrs. Kim of California , Mr. Calvert , Mrs. Hinson , Mr. Correa , and Mr. Lowenthal ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Condemning recent hate crimes committed against Asian-American and Pacific Islanders.

Whereas following the spread of COVID–19 in 2020, there has been a dramatic increase in hate crimes and violence against Asian-American and Pacific Islanders; Whereas between March 19, 2020, and December 31, 2020, there have been 2,808 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate crimes from 47 States and the District of Columbia; Whereas during this timeframe, race has been cited as the primary reason for discrimination, making up over 90 percent of incidents; Whereas roughly 38 percent of Asian-American and Pacific Islander businesses have been the top targets of discrimination incidents during this time period; Whereas during this time, Asian-American and Pacific Islander youth under 20 years old make up roughly 14 percent of hate crime victims; Whereas during this time, Asian-American and Pacific Islander elderly over 60 years old make up around 8 percent of hate crime victims; Whereas, on January 28, 2021, Vicha Ratanapakdee died from injuries after being horrifically attacked in front of his home; Whereas the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles has warned Thai people in California to be on their guard following the killing of Vicha Ratanapakdee; and Whereas Asian-American and Pacific Islanders have made significant contributions to American culture, own over 2,000,000 businesses in the United States, and are an essential thread in the diverse fabric of American life: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) affirms that the United States stands united in condemning and denouncing any and all anti-Asian and Pacific Islander sentiment in any form; (2) condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism, and anti-Asian and Pacific Islander or ethnic intolerance; and (3) calls on Federal law enforcement officials, working with State and local officials— (A) to expeditiously and vigorously investigate all reports of Asian-American and Pacific Islander hate crimes and threats in the United States; (B) to work to improve the reporting of Asian-American and Pacific Islander hate crimes; and (C) to hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and bring the perpetrators to justice.