Senate Passes Bill Seeking To Address Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans

Progressives were watching closely to see whether the bill would become the first to fall to the filibuster under the new Democratic-controlled Senate.

The Senate on Thursday passed a bill to address the rise in hate incidents and violence against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic ― a rare show of bipartisanship on an issue that gained fresh urgency after a series of shootings at Atlanta-area spas last month.  The legislation, introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), would expedite a federal review of coronavirus-related hate crimes, expand data collection and public reporting of such incidents, and provide guidance on best practices to mitigate racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic. It passed 94-1 after Hirono accepted proposed changes from Republican senators, including Susan Collins of Maine and Chuck Grassley of Iowa.