Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The House Vote To Pass Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Legislation

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding today’s House vote to pass the Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Bill and making progress in the fight against the racial discrimination and violence aimed at Asian Americans in recent months. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

I am delighted the House will pass the Anti-Asian Hate Crimes bill today, which passed the Senate last month with overwhelming bipartisan support. Once the legislation is approved by the House, it will go directly to the President’s desk. I expect it will be signed into law later this week.

Discrimination against Asian Americans is, sadly, not a new phenomenon in our nation’s history, but the pandemic brought old biases and prejudices back to the foreground.

This legislation will strengthen law enforcement’s ability to detect, deter, and prosecute hate crimes of all varieties, especially hate crimes involving Asian-Americans. And it sends a powerful message of solidarity to all of our friends in the Asian-American communities; so important, so vital, so strong—and an important piece of the puzzle of how we build a better future in America.

I thank my colleagues from both chambers, from Sens. Hirono and Duckworth in the Senate, to Rep. Meng in the House, and all those who improved the legislation through the amendment process here in the Senate.

Today we are another step closer to making progress in the fight against the racial discrimination and violence aimed at Asian Americans in recent months. The Senate can be proud it took the lead.  

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