Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Senate Passage Of The Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Bill

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the floor shortly before the Senate passed the Anti-Asian Hate Crimes bill by a vote of 94-1. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks: 

In a moment the Senate will vote on final passage of the anti-Asian Hate Crimes bill.

This long overdue bill sends two messages.

To our Asian-American friends: we will not tolerate bigotry against you.

And to those perpetrating anti-Asian bigotry: we will pursue you to the fullest extent of the law.

We cannot – we cannot – allow the recent tide of bigotry, intolerance, and prejudice against Asian-Americans go unchecked.

A bedrock value of our multi-cultural society is that an attack on any one group is an attack on all of us.

By passing this bill, we tell our law enforcement agencies to prioritize bigoted violence, and wield the sword of the law to detect, deter, and prosecute hate crimes of all variety.

By passing this bill, we send a clear message, a unified message, that hate has no place in America.

By passing this bill, we recommit ourselves to that most American of creeds: E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one.

I urge a unanimous yes vote on this legislation and I ask for the yeas and nays.

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