[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 91 (Thursday, May 14, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 580--CONDEMNING ALL FORMS OF ANTI-ASIAN SENTIMENT AS 
                          RELATED TO COVID-19

  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:

                              S. Res. 580

       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'', ``Wuhan 
     Virus'', and ``Kung-flu'', have perpetuated anti-Asian 
     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 American-
     owned 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;
       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
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce 
     anti-Asian sentiment in any form;
       (2) recognizes that the health and safety of all Americans, 
     no matter their background, must be the utmost priority;
       (3) condemns all manifestations or expressions of racism, 
     xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, 
     scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance;
       (4) calls on Federal law enforcement officials, working 
     with State and local officials--
       (A) to expeditiously investigate and document all credible 
     reports of hate crimes, incidents, and threats against the 
     Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the United 
     States;
       (B) to collect data to document the rise of incidents of 
     hate crimes relating to COVID-19; and
       (C) to hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or 
     threats accountable and bring such perpetrators to justice, 
     including through investigation and prosecution; and
       (5) recommits the United States to serving as a world 
     leader in building more inclusive, diverse, and tolerant 
     societies--
       (A) by prioritizing language access and inclusivity in 
     communication practices; and
       (B) by combating misinformation and discrimination that put 
     Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders at risk.

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