[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 65 (Thursday, April 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1444. Ms. HIRONO (for herself and Ms. Collins) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 937, to 
facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 hate crimes, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 2, between lines 3 and 4, insert the following:

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Following the spread of COVID-19 in 2020, there has 
     been a dramatic increase in hate crimes and violence against 
     Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.
       (2) According to a recent report, there were nearly 3,800 
     reported cases of anti-Asian discrimination and incidents 
     related to COVID-19 between March 19, 2020, and February 28, 
     2021, in all 50 States and the District of Columbia.
       (3) During this timeframe, race has been cited as the 
     primary reason for discrimination, making up over 90 percent 
     of incidents, and the United States condemns and denounces 
     any and all anti-Asian and Pacific Islander sentiment in any 
     form.
       (4) Roughly 36 percent of Asian-American and Pacific 
     Islander businesses have been the targets of discrimination 
     incidents during this time period.
       (5) 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.
       On page 2, strike line 4 and insert the following:

     SEC. 3. REVIEW OF HATE CRIMES.

       On page 2, line 5, strike ``1 day'' and insert ``7 days''.
       On page 2, line 8, strike ``sole''.
       On page 2, beginning on line 9, strike ``COVID-19 hate 
     crimes'' and insert ``hate crimes (as described in section 
     249 of title 18, United States Code)''.
       On page 2, line 11, strike ``or local'' and insert ``local, 
     or Tribal''.
       Beginning on page 2, strike line 12 and all that follows 
     through page 3, line 8 and insert the following:
       (b) Applicable Period Defined.--In this section, the term 
     ``applicable period'' means the period beginning on the date 
     on which the officer or employee is designated under 
     subsection (a), and ending on the date that is 1 year after 
     the date on which the emergency period described in 
     subparagraph (B) of section 1135(g)(1) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)) ends, except that the Attorney 
     General may extend such period as appropriate.
       On page 3, strike lines 9 through 20 and insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 4. GUIDANCE.

       (a) Guidance for Law Enforcement Agencies.--The Attorney 
     General shall issue guidance for State, local, and Tribal law 
     enforcement agencies, pursuant to this Act and other 
     applicable law, on how to--
       (1) establish online reporting of hate crimes or incidents, 
     and to have online reporting that is equally effective for 
     people with disabilities as for people without disabilities 
     available in multiple languages as determined by the Attorney 
     General;
       (2) collect data disaggregated by the protected 
     characteristics described in section 249 of title 18, United 
     States Code; and
       (3) expand public education campaigns aimed at raising 
     awareness of hate crimes and reaching victims, that are 
     equally effective for people with disabilities as for people 
     without disabilities.
       Beginning on page 3, strike line 25 and all that follows 
     through page 4, line 2 and insert the following: ``based 
     organizations, shall issue guidance aimed at raising 
     awareness of hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.''.

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