Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19.

This resolution calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce anti-Asian sentiment, racism, discrimination, and religious intolerance related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local officials, to take specified steps.

It calls on federal officials to expeditiously investigate and document all credible reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against the Asian-American community and prosecute perpetrators.

The resolution recommits U.S. leadership to (1) prioritize language access and inclusivity in communication practices, and (2) combat misinformation and discrimination that put Asian Americans at risk.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 908 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 908

  Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 25, 2020

 Ms. Meng (for herself, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Pressley, Mr. 
Castro of Texas, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Malinowski, Ms. Speier, Mrs. Watson 
     Coleman, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Mr. Takano, Mr. Cisneros, Ms. 
  Schakowsky, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, 
 Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Correa, Ms. Haaland, Mr. Huffman, Mrs. Torres of 
  California, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. Omar, Mr. 
    Schrader, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. 
 Connolly, Mr. Case, Mr. Green of Texas, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Trone, Mrs. 
Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Khanna, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Thompson 
 of California, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Foster, Ms. Johnson of 
   Texas, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. 
Porter, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. DelBene, Ms. Castor of Florida, 
  Mr. Jeffries, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Rose of New 
 York, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Rouda, Mr. Costa, Mr. Serrano, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. 
Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Kim, Ms. Sanchez, 
Mr. Soto, Mrs. Bustos, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Welch, Mr. Sablan, 
  Mr. Schiff, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. 
     Yarmuth, Mr. McEachin, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Quigley, Ms. Clark of 
 Massachusetts, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Engel, Mr. Butterfield, 
 Mr. Rush, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Allred, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney 
of New York, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Bass, Mr. 
 Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Lee of California, 
Ms. Norton, Mr. Lewis, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. 
Evans, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Horsford, Mr. Carson 
of Indiana, Ms. Wild, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Casten of Illinois, and Ms. Craig) 
submitted the following 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 Nation's population in the United States;
Whereas over 2,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are working on the 
        frontlines of this COVID-19 pandemic in health care, law enforcement, 
        first responders, transportation, supermarkets, and other service 
        industries;
Whereas the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric related to COVID-19, such 
        as the ``Chinese Virus'', ``Wuhan Virus'', and ``Kung-flu'' have 
        perpetuated anti-Asian stigma;
Whereas since January 2020, there has been a dramatic increase in reports of 
        hate crimes and incidents against those of Asian descent;
Whereas according to a recent study, there were over 400 cases related to COVID-
        19 anti-Asian discrimination 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 March 2020, anti-Asian violence includes: a woman wearing a mask was 
        kicked and punched at a New York City subway station; two children and 
        two adults were stabbed at a wholesale grocery in Midland, 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 resulted in Asian-
        American businesses being targeted for vandalism;
Whereas there are approximately 2 million Asian American-owned businesses that 
        generate over $700 billion in annual revenue and employ nearly 4.5 
        million workers;
Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control 
        and Prevention (CDC) recognize that naming COVID-19 by its geographic 
        location or linking it 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 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, 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 Director 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 of the 
        outbreak's victims: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce 
        any and all anti-Asian sentiment in any form;
            (2) recognizes that the health and safety of all Americans, 
        no matter their background, must be of utmost priority;
            (3) condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism, 
        xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating, 
        and ethnic or religious intolerance;
            (4) calls on Federal law enforcement officials, working 
        with State and local officials--
                    (A) to expeditiously investigate and document all 
                credible reports of hate crimes and incidents and 
                threats against the Asian-American community in the 
                United States;
                    (B) to collect data to document the rise of 
                incidences of hate crimes due to COVID-19; and
                    (C) to hold the perpetrators of those crimes, 
                incidents, or threats accountable and bring such 
                perpetrators to justice; and
            (5) recommits United States leadership in building more 
        inclusive, diverse, and tolerant societies--
                    (A) to prioritize language access and inclusivity 
                in communication practices; and
                    (B) to combat misinformation and discrimination 
                that put Asian Americans at risk.
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