Condemning the horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16, 2021, and reaffirming the House of Representative's commitment to combating hate, bigotry, and violence against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community.

H. Res. 275 In the House of Representatives, U. S., May 19, 2021. Whereas, on March 16, 2021, a shooter murdered 8 people and injured 1 in the Atlanta, Georgia, region in 3 sepa- rate shootings that took place at Asian-owned spas; Whereas the people of the United States mourn the 8 inno- cent lives lost, 7 of whom were women, 6 of whom were women of Asian descent, and several of whom were immi- grants; Whereas the victims included Xiaojie ‘‘Emily’’ Tan, Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Yong Ae Yue, Soon Chung ‘‘Julie’’ Park, Hyun Jung Grant, and Sun Cha Kim; Whereas 49-year-old Xiaojie ‘‘Emily’’ Tan, a hardworking mother and the owner of 1 of the spas, was a dedicated and caring business owner who is survived by her daugh- ter and husband; Whereas 44-year-old Daoyou Feng was an employee who re- cently began working at 1 of the spas; Whereas 33-year-old Delaina Ashley Yaun, a newlywed and mother of 2, was at 1 of the spas to receive a couple’s massage with her husband when her life was cut short; 2 •HRES 275 EH Whereas 54-year-old Paul Andre Michels was a caring hus- band and a United States Army veteran who did mainte- nance work for 1 of the spas and is survived by his wife; Whereas 63-year-old Yong Ae Yue was a mother of 2 sons who was known for her kindness and generosity and her love of her pet Shih Tzu; Whereas 74-year-old Soon Chung ‘‘Julie’’ Park was a mother and grandmother who helped manage 1 of the spas and helped to prepare meals for the employees; Whereas 51-year-old Hyun Jung Grant was a former elemen- tary school teacher and hardworking single mother who dedicated her whole life to raising her 2 sons; Whereas 69-year-old Sun Cha Kim was a wife, mother, and grandmother who enjoyed line dancing and had been married for more than 50 years; Whereas during an interview with the Cherokee County Sher- iff’s Office, the suspect stated that the shootings were not ‘‘racially motivated’’, but the investigation is still on- going and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of classifying the attacks as a ‘‘hate crime’’; Whereas the Georgia shooting came in the midst of an alarm- ing surge in anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents, which has caused many Asian Americans across the United States to feel fearful and unsafe; Whereas the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric re- lated to COVID–19, such as the ‘‘Chinese virus’’, ‘‘Wuhan virus’’, and ‘‘kung flu’’, has perpetuated anti- Asian stigma that has resulted in Asian Americans being harassed, assaulted, and scapegoated for the COVID–19 pandemic; 3 •HRES 275 EH Whereas anti-Asian hate crimes increased by nearly 150 per- cent in major cities throughout the United States in 2020; Whereas according to a recent report by Stop AAPI Hate, there were nearly 3,800 reported cases of anti-Asian dis- crimination related to COVID–19 between March 19, 2020, to February 28, 2021; Whereas 68 percent of reported incidents of anti-Asian hate targeted Asian-American women, a population that has been historically marginalized, sexualized, and fetishized; Whereas, on March 19, 2021, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with Asian-American lead- ers in Georgia and reaffirmed their strong commitment to condemn and combat racism, xenophobia, and violence targeting the Asian-American community; and Whereas the people of the United States will always remem- ber the victims of these shootings and stand in solidarity with those affected by this senseless tragedy: Now, there- fore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns the heinous and inexcusable acts of gun violence that led to the tragic loss of 8 lives in Geor- gia on March 16, 2021; (2) condemns any racism and sexism in the choice of the shooter to target Asian-owned businesses and murder 7 women, 6 of whom were of Asian descent; (3) honors the memory of the victims, offers heart- felt condolences to their families, and recognizes that the healing process will be long and difficult for the Asian- 4 •HRES 275 EH American and Pacific Islander community and all com- munities impacted by this tragedy; and (4) reaffirms the commitment of the United States Federal Government to combat hate, bigotry, and vio- lence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again. Attest: Clerk.