[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 67 (Monday, April 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2001-S2002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, the Senate returns this week with a 
full plate. Today, we will continue to work on two important 
nominations to the Justice Department: Lisa Monaco and Vanita Gupta. 
Both should be confirmed by the end of this week. The Senate will also 
vote to confirm SEC Commissioner Gary Gensler to a full term.
  At the same time, the Senate will continue to work on the anti-Asian 
hate crimes bill. Last week, the Senate voted to proceed with the 
legislation by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 92 to 6. The process 
will continue to be bipartisan.
  Senator Collins has worked with Senator Hirono--you, Madam 
President--on a few modifications, which we have welcomed. Senators 
Moran and Blumenthal have worked with Senator Scott of Florida to 
incorporate his feedback into their legislation called the NO HATE Act, 
which would improve and strengthen the bill.
  Senator Warnock has worked with Senators Hirono and Collins to 
include language acknowledging the recent tragic shootings near 
Atlanta.
  All of these ideas will be incorporated into a broader final 
substitute amendment. I will ensure the Senate votes on the substitute 
amendment in the coming days. All told, the Senate is on track to 
finish this bill later this week.
  We are seeing that when the Senate is given the opportunity to work, 
the Senate can work. Members from both sides of the aisle have worked 
together over the past week to consider, perfect, and--soon--enact 
legislation responding to a pressing issue.
  Regrettably--very regrettably--in recent years, all of us have 
witnessed a surge of White nationalism and violent extremism in 
American society. Senators of good will from both sides of the aisle 
have taken note and developed proposals to give Federal law enforcement 
officials the tools to better detect, prevent, and prosecute this surge 
in hate crimes.
  The Senate will incorporate many of these ideas in the final 
substitute amendment to this bill. As a result, I am optimistic we can 
finish our work on the anti-Asian hate crimes bill later this week in 
the same manner we started, with an overwhelming bipartisan vote.
  And, let me say, it is needed. As I go through New York--I have been 
to several more rallies, one early this morning--anti-Asian hate crime, 
unfortunately, is on the upsurge. We hear about the violent acts. We 
have heard about the deaths. But, every day, thousands--thousands--of 
Asian Americans are subjected to smaller but nonetheless stinging acts 
of hate crime by being called names, by being spat upon, by being 
cursed at, and even just by being stared at in a nasty way like: Who 
the heck are you?

[[Page S2002]]

  So we must act. We must act both to strengthen the Department of 
Justice's ability to prosecute more hate crimes and to pay attention to 
hate crimes and to calculate their number, but also to send a message--
two messages, in fact: one to our Asian-American friends--a great 6 
percent of America and 10 percent of New York is Asian American--that 
you are us, we are all Americans together, and we welcome you being 
here. I, for one, like you, Madam President, would welcome more Asian 
immigrants coming to America.
  But second is a message to those who perpetrate these awful acts: You 
are not American. We despise what you do, and we are going to remain 
vigilant until this kind of bigotry is diminished and maybe even 
snuffed out.

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