CAPAC Members Commemorate Third Anniversary of COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Being Signed into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) commemorate the third anniversary of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act being signed into law by President Biden.

Since March 2020, over 11,500 anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents have been reported, which include online and verbal harassment, institutional discrimination, and physical injury.

CAPAC Members released the following statements:

CAPAC Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28):

“Today marks three years since President Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. This law has since been a lifeline for our elders, children, and families, who have reported over 11,500 anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents targeting them since March 2020. By improving the ability of state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to track and report hate crimes, this law has enhanced our understanding of the prejudice and discrimination experienced by our communities while providing crucial resources and support for hate crimes victims and community-based organizations. I am immensely grateful to CAPAC’s First Vice-Chair Grace Meng and Executive Member Senator Mazie Hirono for authoring this bill and helming its successful passage, to Rep. Don Beyer for his leadership on our Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which was included in the final package, and to President Biden for signing this bill into law to keep our communities safe. I also thank the Department of Justice, whose leaders continue to be steadfast partners with CAPAC to ensure the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act’s full implementation. As we all commemorate this anniversary during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we must also rededicate ourselves to the ongoing fight to extinguish bigotry, violence, and hate in all its forms.”

CAPAC First Vice-Chair Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06):

“Three years ago, President Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law, which I was proud to lead with Senator Hirono. It was an important recognition of and response to the trauma the AAPI community experienced in the face of anti-Asian hate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This law requires the Justice Department to work with state and local law enforcement to make reporting hate crimes easier with multilingual online portals. It also requires the Justice Department to incentivize hate crime data collection. On the anniversary of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act being signed into law, I recommit to leading the effort to protect our communities from acts of hate.”

CAPAC Second Vice-Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39):

“Three years ago, President Biden stood with Asian Americans across this nation against bigotry by signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. Bad actors used the pandemic to fan the flames of bigotry against the AANHPI community, and we are still feeling the effects. On this important anniversary, I join my colleagues in ensuring that the Department of Justice is implementing these standards to protect the AANHPI community.”

CAPAC Whip Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36):

“Three years ago today, President Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. This critical legislation, introduced by Congresswoman Grace Meng and Senator Mazie Hirono, addressed the surge of hate crimes against members of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to racist rhetoric directed at members of the AANHPI community throughout the pandemic, violent hate crimes against AANHPIs spiked. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act helped ensure better tracking and reporting of these hate crimes and provided additional support to the victims. As we honor the anniversary of this important law, we recommit to our continued work to eliminate hate, racism and violence in all forms.”

Sen. Mazie Hirono (HI):

“As anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents surged during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we introduced the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to equip our communities with the tools they need to prevent hate crimes and incidents and protect one another. In the three years since our bill was signed into law, we’ve seen the federal government take important steps to help track, understand, and combat hate-based crimes. Passing this law was an important step in our fight to end hate-based violence, but our work is far from over. With hate and intolerance against AANHPI and other marginalized communities still all too prevalent in our country, I will continue working to combat hate and bigotry in all forms.”

Rep. Andy Kim (NJ-03):

“AANHPI families across the country want to know what their government is doing to keep them safe. Passing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law three years ago was a critical step in combating anti-Asian hate, but we still see hateful violence and xenophobia targeting communities across the nation. We must continue our work to bring the full promise of this law into reality and build a future that protects the safety and well-being of all Americans.”

Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-12):

“Today is the third anniversary of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, and I am reminded of the countless stories from our AANHPI community members who have endured unimaginable pain, fear, and discrimination. Since the pandemic, about 32% of Asian adults say they personally know an Asian person in the U.S. who has been threated or attacked because of their race or ethnicity, reflecting a harsh reality for our AANHPI brothers and sisters. This legislation represents our collective resolve in combating hate and ensuring that all AANHPI communities are protected. On this anniversary, let us renew our commitment to building a multicultural society where every person can live without fear and with the dignity they deserve.”

Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13):

“The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act was an important step to address the dramatic rise in AANHPI hate that has plagued the United States since the start of the pandemic. I will continue to work everyday with my CAPAC colleagues to combat this discrimination, and won't stop until every member of the AANHPI community feels safe in America.”

Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07):

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed a disturbing rise in anti-Asian hate crimes that impacted Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities across our country.  That is why I voted to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to ensure better tracking and reporting of hate crimes against the AANHPI community and to provide support for victims and guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes.  Every person deserves to feel safe, accepted, and respected, and it is critical that we ensure the safety of AANHPI families in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District and throughout our country.”

Rep. Linda Sánchez (CA-38):

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, our country experienced a disturbing rise in anti-Asian hate crime. As a Member of Congress who represents a large AANHPI community, I helped pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to protect my community and ensure we have the resources to prevent these terrible crimes. Although we have made great progress, I will continue to stand with my CAPAC colleagues in fighting against all hate and discrimination.”