APIAHF

WASHINGTON – Yesterday night, in a 364-62 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which addresses the rise in anti-Asian hate and violence and incorporates the Jaber-Hayer NO HATE Act. The bill, which passed the Senate last month, will go to President Biden to sign into law tomorrow.

Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) issued the following statement:

“We applaud Senator Hirono and Representative Meng for their leadership on this historic bipartisan bill. Although there is much work to be done to address the systemic causes of racism and hate crimes, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is a critical start, and includes culturally competent and in-language resources for victims of hate. Just as importantly, the inclusion of the Jaber-Hayer NO HATE Act will finally standardize data collection and reporting so that we have a more accurate picture of the true cost of hate in the US.”

Earlier this year, APIAHF partnered with the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) to produce a Combat Hate Crimes Toolkit in 25 languages. The toolkit, created following the rise in anti-Asian hate incidents and its impact on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, is the largest collection of materials translated into AA NHPI languages that provides basic and critical information for victims, community organizations and community leaders.

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The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.