Biden Signs Hate Crimes Measure Into Law 

WASHINGTON - Hailing it as a rare contemporary example of bipartisan cooperation in Washington, President Joe Biden on Thursday signed legislation intended to fight anti-Asian hate crimes, which have escalated in the United States during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hate and racism are "the ugly poison that has long haunted and plagued our nation," the president said before signing the bill in the White House East Room. The law establishes a new Justice Department position to expedite the review of COVID-19-related hate crimes and provide support for local law enforcement agencies to respond to such violence. It also is intended to improve hate crime data collection and establish telephone hotlines and online reporting of such acts. "This new law will help speed our response to hate crimes and provide resources to law enforcement to improve hate crime reporting," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "The law will assist law enforcement in targeting its efforts, which will help to prevent these devastating crimes and to respond efficiently and effectively to crimes, when they occur."