Pingree Votes to Pass Bipartisan Bill to Reduce Asian-American Hate Crimes, Discrimination
Press Release
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today cast her vote in favor of legislation to combat anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) violence, which has increased dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic. S. 937, the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, addresses the disturbing rise in hate crimes committed against Asian Americans and others in the United States by improving reporting on hate crimes.
"I am horrified by the rise in discrimination and attacks against our AAPI neighbors since the beginning of the pandemic. That's why I voted for the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act which will require the Justice Department to expedite its review of hate crimes and provide resources to state and local partners," said Pingree. "The mass shooting which occurred at an Atlanta spa in March was not the first example of hate crimes targeting AAPI communities. Tragically, we have seen the same anti-Asian violence in our own streets in Maine. This bipartisan legislation is an important step toward breaking the cycle of racism, discrimination, and violence towards our AAPI neighbors."
In March, Pingree met with leaders from Maine's AAPI community, who spoke of the painful bigotry they've experienced in Maine. Pingree committed to working with community leaders and her Congressional colleagues to pass legislation that would address anti-AAPI racism and violence.
Since March 2020, there have been over 6,600 documented hate incidents against people of Asian descent in the United States. S. 937 would assign a point person at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the review of hate crimes and violence during the pandemic, provide support for state and local law enforcement agencies to respond to these hate crimes, and coordinate with local and federal partners to mitigate racially discriminatory language used to describe the pandemic. This legislation was previously passed by the U.S. Senate.
Later this week, the House will also consider H. Res 275, led by Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif.), which condemns the shooting in Atlanta and reaffirms Congress' commitment to combat hate against the AAPI community. Pingree is a cosponsor of the legislation.
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