Heinrich Urges Senate Passage Of The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act

WASHINGTON – As hate crimes and violence targeted against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the U.S. rise, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is calling for swift action to be taken to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.

This legislation would assign a point person at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the review of COVID-19-related hate crimes, providing support for state and local law enforcement agencies to respond to these hate crimes, and coordinating with local and federal partners to mitigate racially discriminatory language used to describe the pandemic.

“It is all too clear that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are facing mounting violent threats and racism fueled not only by misinformation about Covid-19, but also by long-running misogynist and xenophobic prejudices. Enough is enough,” said Heinrich. “I am proud to cosponsor the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and stand with the AAPI community in New Mexico, and across our country in strongly condemning the dangerous rise of anti-Asian racism and hate crimes that are plaguing this nation.”

The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act directs DOJ to:

• Designate a DOJ employee to assist with expedited review of COVID-19 hate crimes reported to federal, state, and/or local law enforcement;
• Provide guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies to:
  • establish online reporting of hate crimes or incidents, and to have online reporting available in multiple languages;
  • expand culturally competent and linguistically appropriate public education campaigns, and collection of data and public reporting of hate crimes; and
• Issue guidance detailing best practices to mitigate racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID–19 pandemic, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the COVID–19 Health Equity Task Force and community-based organizations.

The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is led by U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) in the U.S. Senate and U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) in the U.S. House of Representatives.