A resolution condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19.

III 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 133 Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID–19. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 24, 2021 Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. BROWN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARPER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. COONS, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. KAINE, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. MURPHY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. REED, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHATZ, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. SMITH, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WARNOCK, Ms. WARREN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. BENNET, and Mrs. GILLIBRAND) submitted the following resolution; which was re- ferred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID–19. Whereas there are 23,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States, constituting 7 percent of the population of the United States; Whereas over 2,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Island- ers are working on the front lines of the COVID–19 pan- demic as first responders and in health care, law enforce- ment, transportation, supermarkets, and other service in- dustries; VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:42 Mar 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR133.IS SR133 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 133 IS Whereas the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric re- lated to COVID–19, such as the ‘‘Chinese Virus’’, ‘‘Wuhan Virus’’, and ‘‘Kung-flu’’ have perpetuated anti- Asian stigma; Whereas the use of anti-Asian rhetoric has resulted in Asian Americans being harassed, assaulted, and scapegoated for the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas, since January 2020, there has been a dramatic in- crease in reports of hate crimes and incidents against those of Asian descent in all 50 States and the District of Columbia; Whereas, according to a recent report, there were nearly 3,800 reported cases of anti-Asian discrimination related to COVID–19 between March 19, 2020, and February 28, 2021; Whereas, in incidents of anti-Asian violence occurring in March 2020— (1) a woman wearing a mask was kicked and punched at a New York City subway station; (2) 2 children and 2 adults were stabbed at a whole- sale grocery in Midland, Texas; (3) a couple was assaulted and robbed by a group of attackers in Philadelphia; and (4) a 16-year-old boy was sent to the hospital after being attacked by bullies in Los Angeles, California; Whereas since the start of the COVID–19 outbreak, anti- Asian discrimination and hate has continued; Whereas a disproportionate number of attacks, approximately 68 percent, have been directed at Asian-American women; VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:42 Mar 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR133.IS SR133 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 133 IS Whereas since the start of 2021, there has been a surge in anti-Asian attacks targeting predominantly elderly Asian Americans; Whereas, on January 30, 2021, an 84-year-old Thai man, Vicha Ratanapakdee, died from injuries sustained from an unprovoked assault while on his routine morning walk in San Francisco, California; Whereas, in January 2021, a series of attacks occurred in Oakland’s Chinatown targeting Asian-American seniors, and victims included a 60-year-old man and a 55-year- old woman, who, in separate incidents, were violently shoved to the ground; Whereas, in February 2021, victims of anti-Asian violence in- cluded— (1) a 61-year-old Filipino man who was attacked and slashed across his face on a New York City subway; (2) a Filipino woman in her eighties who was punched in an unprovoked attack while riding a trolley in San Diego; and (3) a 52-year-old Asian woman who was attacked and forcefully shoved while waiting in line outside a bak- ery in Flushing, New York; Whereas, on March 16, 2021, 8 people, including 6 women of Asian descent, were shot to death at 3 Atlanta-area businesses and this violence has heightened the pain and fear in the Asian-American and Pacific-Islander commu- nities; Whereas anti-Asian racism has also resulted in Asian-Amer- ican businesses being targeted for vandalism; VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:42 Mar 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR133.IS SR133 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 133 IS Whereas there are approximately 2,000,000 Asian-American- owned businesses that generate over $700,000,000,000 in annual revenue and employ millions of workers; Whereas more than 1,900,000 Asian-American and Pacific- Islander older adults, particularly those older adults who are recent immigrants or have limited English pro- ficiency, may face even greater challenges in dealing with the COVID–19 pandemic, including discrimination, eco- nomic insecurity, and language isolation; Whereas the World Health Organization (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘WHO’’) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘CDC’’) recognize that naming COVID–19 using ge- ographic terms or linking it to a specific ethnicity perpet- uates stigma; Whereas in 2015, the WHO issued guidance calling on media outlets, scientists, and national authorities to avoid nam- ing infectious diseases for locations to avoid stigmatizing groups of people; Whereas, on February 27, 2020, the Secretary of Health and Human Services stated, ‘‘Ethnicity is not what causes the novel coronavirus’’ and that it is inappropriate and inaccurate to call COVID–19 ‘‘the Chinese virus’’; Whereas, on February 28, 2020, the Chief Medical Officer of the CDC said that ‘‘stigma is the enemy of public health’’; Whereas, on March 10, 2020, the Director of the CDC testi- fied that use of the term ‘‘Chinese coronavirus’’ is wrong and inappropriate; VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:42 Mar 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR133.IS SR133 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •SRES 133 IS Whereas the Secretary General of the United Nations called for international solidarity and an end to any ill-founded discrimination; and Whereas, on January 26, 2021, the President issued a Presi- dential Memorandum ‘‘Condemning and Combating Rac- ism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Ameri- cans and Pacific Islanders in the United States’’: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) condemns and denounces all forms of anti- 2 Asian sentiment, including those relating to 3 COVID–19; 4 (2) recognizes that the health and safety of all 5 people of the United States, regardless of back- 6 ground, must be the utmost priority; 7 (3) condemns all manifestations and expres- 8 sions of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti- 9 Asian sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or reli- 10 gious intolerance; 11 (4) calls on Federal law enforcement officials, 12 working with State and local agencies— 13 (A) to expeditiously investigate and docu- 14 ment all credible reports of hate crimes, harass- 15 ment, bullying, and threats against the Asian- 16 American and Pacific-Islander communities in 17 the United States; 18 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:42 Mar 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR133.IS SR133 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •SRES 133 IS (B) to expand collection of data and public 1 reporting to document the rise in the incidence 2 of hate crimes relating to COVID–19; and 3 (C) to hold the perpetrators of those 4 crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and 5 bring such perpetrators to justice, including 6 through investigation and prosecution; 7 (5) calls on the Attorney General to work with 8 State and local agencies and Asian-American and 9 Pacific-Islander community-based organizations to 10 prevent discrimination, and expand culturally com- 11 petent and linguistically appropriate education cam- 12 paigns on public reporting of hate crimes; 13 (6) calls on the Secretary of Health and 14 Human Services, in coordination with the COVID– 15 19 Health Equity Task Force and Asian-American 16 and Pacific-Islander community-based organizations, 17 to issue guidance describing best practices to miti- 18 gate racially discriminatory language in describing 19 the COVID–19 pandemic; and 20 (7) recommits the United States to serving as 21 a model for the world in building a more inclusive, 22 diverse, and tolerant society— 23 (A) by prioritizing language access and 24 inclusivity in communication practices; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:42 Mar 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR133.IS SR133 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 7 •SRES 133 IS (B) by combating misinformation and dis- 1 crimination that puts Asian Americans and Pa- 2 cific Islanders at risk. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:42 Mar 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR133.IS SR133 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS