UPDATE: Resolution text was updated to add Sen. Durbin and others as cosponsors and adjust language regarding a Judiciary Committee hearing. Updated resolution text is available HERE.
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WASHINGTON – Sen.
Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led a
coalition of Senators in introducing a resolution condemning a spike in hate
crimes targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The resolution is
cosponsored by senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Kennedy (R-La.), Thom
Tillis (R-N.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Wicker
(R-Miss.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah),
Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) Todd Young (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Deb Fischer
(R-Neb.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kevin
Cramer (R-N.D.) and James Risch (R-Idaho).
The
Resolution affirms that the United States condemns crimes and expressions of
racism and hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. It also calls on
the Judiciary Committee to convene a hearing on the surge in violence against
the AAPI community and applauds the Justice Department for conducting a 30-day
review to identify how best to track and combat violence.
The
resolution outlines data on a dramatic rise in hate crimes and violence against
the AAPI community following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The
resolution is endorsed by the Korean American Grass Roots Conference, Korean
Americans for Political Action, and Faith and Community
Empowerment.
“We deeply appreciate Senator Grassley’s efforts to
denounce all forms of racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders,” said
Wonseok Song, executive director of the Korean American Grassroots Conference,
the largest nationwide network of Korean American voters. “It is
encouraging to see that the Senator understands that words of condemnation are
not enough and that he, as the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee,
calls for concrete actions to hold the perpetrators of racially charged
violence accountable. We look forward to working together with members of
Congress on both sides of the aisle to prevent further incidents from taking
place.”
"On behalf of Korean Americans for Political
Action, we welcome and support any and all bipartisan efforts, including this
Senate companion resolution introduced by Senator Grassley to combat these
despicable and intolerable acts of hate and racism against Americans of Asian,
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander descent with specific calls for actions to
improve hate crime reporting, drive greater awareness of all forms of hate
speech, threats and violence and sustain these efforts with appropriate resources
and community involvement," said John Lim, chair of the board of
directors for Korean Americans for Political Action.
“For
so long, the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in this country
have called out for help in the face of racism, discrimination, assaults and
violence throughout history but with very little avail. Today is a new day for
the AAPI community. FACE applauds Senator Grassley's historic senate resolution
to not only recognize and condemn the growing hate crimes but all
manifestations of racism and anti-Asian and Pacific Islander and ethnic
intolerance. More importantly, this resolution recognizes the importance and
calls upon taking tangible steps to improve the federal government's capacity
to track and identify, investigate, improve and hold the perpetrators of
crimes, incidents and threats accountable - a missing piece that has been long
due to the AAPI community,” said Hyepin
Im, President & CEO of Faith and Community Empowerment.
Text
of the resolution is available
HERE.
A
similar
resolution was introduced in the House, with bipartisan support.
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