Katherine Clark: “I thank the chairman for yielding. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a deadly public health emergency, an…”

“I thank the chairman for yielding. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a deadly public health emergency, an economic crisis, and a disturbing rise in anti-Asian hate. Unfortunately, discrimination against the AAPI community is not new. From the Chinese Exclusion Act to the internment of Japanese Americans, the U.S. has a long history of discrimination towards AAPI immigrants and their descendants. This new wave of xenophobia has led to fear, threats, and outright violence. Madam Speaker, by passing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act today, we are standing up for our neighbors and against discrimination. We take this vote during AAPI Heritage Month, a time to acknowledge incredible contributions of this community and also the interconnection of the American story and our mutual security. I am proud to represent a large and vibrant AAPI community in my district, and I have seen that community come together over the last year and joined to help their neighbors and demand justice for all. Madam Speaker, I am proud to support this bill today. It is critical and long overdue.”