[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 23, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    VIOLENCE AGAINST ASIAN AMERICANS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now, as I mentioned, the shooting in 
Colorado comes only a week after another tragedy in the communities 
outside Atlanta, GA, where eight people were killed in a string of 
shootings, six of whom were women of Asian descent.
  It is important to place the Atlanta area shootings in context. Over 
the past year, there has been a rising tide of violence against Asian 
Americans driven by fear, misinformation, and age-old prejudices 
against the Asian-American community, from shouted insults and racial 
slurs to outright assault.
  A 61-year-old Filipino American was slashed in the face by a box 
cutter on the New York subway. An 84-year-old Thai American in San 
Francisco was shoved so violently it led to his death. And now this 
attack in Georgia.
  Every day, Asian Americans walk down the streets looking over their 
shoulders, wondering if they will be assaulted or even worse--even 
worse.
  The poison of racism has always existed in America, but over the past 
4 years it seems to have found new life. There is no question that the 
former President Donald Trump, through word and deed, fanned the flames 
of racial bias in our country. It is not a coincidence that it is worse 
now than it has been before. Donald Trump fanned those flames--fanned 
those flames, often with glee.
  With respect to the Asian-American community, specifically, the 
former President encouraged rhetoric that blamed the Chinese people for 
the coronavirus--an absolutely despicable notion that has led to all 
sorts of verbal and physical assaults on Asian Americans. You could see 
him with his chin strutted out when he called it the virus that he 
named it--you know what--the China virus. So despicable. And he did it 
with almost a joy.
  Here in America, we all know that an attack against any one group is 
an attack against all of us. So it is up to all of us now to stand up 
and speak out in support of the Asian-American community in America.
  Over the weekend, I joined several vigils to stand with Americans of 
all ages, races, and faiths to support the Asian-American community. 
There was a large turnout, and our Asian brothers and sisters were so 
relieved that so many of us from the elected community were there. We 
should all be doing that in every part of the country.
  Here on the floor of the Senate this morning, I started the process 
to make two pieces of legislation available for action by the full 
Senate.
  First is a bill led by my friend Senator Hirono of Hawaii, very 
similar to the same bill introduced by our New York Congress Member, 
Grace Meng, of Queens. This legislation by Senator Hirono will address 
COVID-related hate crimes against Asian Americans head-on. It would 
assign a point person at the Department of Justice to expedite the 
review of COVID-19-related hate crimes, provide support for State and 
local law enforcement agencies to respond to hate crimes, and work on 
solutions to the problem of racially discriminatory language that has 
been used to describe the pandemic.
  Second is a bill led by my friend Senator Durbin to counter the 
threat of domestic terrorism and violent White supremacy. This is a 
bill that passed the House of Representatives last year on an 
overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. As far as legislation goes, it is as 
much of a no-brainer as it comes.
  Every one of us--every one of us--has an obligation to speak out 
against these hate crimes. One of the best antidotes--there are many--
but one of the best antidotes when hate occurs is to answer it 
forcefully, strongly, and repeatedly so that no one thinks it is 
acceptable, and those who perpetrate it are shunned and then, if they 
have broken the law, punished.
  Every one of us must do this. We must speak out. Here in the Senate, 
we have more than a responsibility to just speak out; we must take 
action. I hope we will have universal support for these pieces of 
legislation that I mentioned.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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