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

III 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. RES. 580 Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID–19. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 14, 2020 Ms. HARRIS (for herself, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Ms. HIRONO, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. MARKEY, Ms. SMITH, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Ms. KLO- BUCHAR, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. WARNER, Mr. CARDIN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. CARPER, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. COONS, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. KAINE, Ms. WARREN, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. CASEY, and Mr. BOOKER) submitted the fol- lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID–19. Whereas 23,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders account for 7 percent of the population in 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 in health care, law enforcement, first response, and transportation, as well as in service industries that in- volve keeping supermarkets operational; Whereas the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric re- lated to COVID–19, such as the ‘‘Chinese Virus’’, VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:43 May 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR580.IS SR580 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 580 IS ‘‘Wuhan Virus’’, and ‘‘Kung-flu’’, have perpetuated anti- Asian stigma; Whereas, since January 2020, there has been a dramatic in- crease in reports of hate crimes and incidents against those of Asian descent; Whereas, according to a recent study, there were over 400 cases of anti-Asian discrimination related to COVID–19 between February 9, 2020, and March 7, 2020; Whereas the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric has resulted in Asian Americans being harassed, assaulted, and scapegoated for the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas, in incidents of anti-Asian violence occurring in March 2020, a woman wearing a mask was kicked and punched at a New York City subway station, 2 children and 2 adults were stabbed at a wholesale grocery in Mid- land, Texas, a couple was assaulted and robbed by a group of attackers in Philadelphia, and a 16-year-old boy was sent to the hospital after being attacked by bullies in Los Angeles, California; Whereas the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric has also re- sulted in Asian American businesses being targeted for vandalism; 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; VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:43 May 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR580.IS SR580 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 580 IS Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recog- nize that naming COVID–19 by its geographic location or linking COVID–19 to a specific ethnicity perpetuates stigma; Whereas, in 2015, the WHO issued guidance calling on media outlets, scientists, and national authorities to avoid naming infectious diseases for locations to avoid stigma- tizing 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 inac- curate to call COVID–19 the ‘‘Chinese virus’’; Whereas, on February 28, 2020, Dr. Mitch Wolfe, the Chief Medical Officer of the CDC, said, ‘‘stigma is the enemy of public health’’; Whereas, on March 10, 2020, Dr. Robert Redfield, the Direc- tor of the CDC, testified that use of the term ‘‘Chinese coronavirus’’ is wrong and inappropriate; and Whereas the Secretary-General of the United Nations called for international solidarity and an end to any ill-founded discrimination against the outbreak’s victims: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) calls on all public officials to condemn and 2 denounce anti-Asian sentiment in any form; 3 (2) recognizes that the health and safety of all 4 Americans, no matter their background, must be the 5 utmost priority; 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:43 May 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR580.IS SR580 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 580 IS (3) condemns all manifestations or expressions 1 of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian 2 sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or religious in- 3 tolerance; 4 (4) calls on Federal law enforcement officials, 5 working with State and local officials— 6 (A) to expeditiously investigate and docu- 7 ment all credible reports of hate crimes, inci- 8 dents, and threats against the Asian American 9 and Pacific Islander community in the United 10 States; 11 (B) to collect data to document the rise of 12 incidents of hate crimes relating to COVID–19; 13 and 14 (C) to hold the perpetrators of those 15 crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and 16 bring such perpetrators to justice, including 17 through investigation and prosecution; and 18 (5) recommits the United States to serving as 19 a world leader in building more inclusive, diverse, 20 and tolerant societies— 21 (A) by prioritizing language access and 22 inclusivity in communication practices; and 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:43 May 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR580.IS SR580 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •SRES 580 IS (B) by combating misinformation and dis- 1 crimination that put Asian Americans and Pa- 2 cific Islanders at risk. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:43 May 14, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR580.IS SR580 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS