U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined bicameral legislation introduced by Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Representative Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) to address the rise of hate crimes and violence targeted at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).
The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act would assign a point person at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the review of COVID-19-related hate crimes, provide support for state and local law enforcement agencies to respond to these hate crimes, and coordinate with local and federal partners to mitigate racially discriminatory language used to describe the pandemic.
Last week, Senator Cortez Masto joined AAPI community leaders from across Nevada for a conversation on how to best support Nevada’s AAPI and Asian immigrant communities and combat racism, including this new legislation.
“The violence and harassment Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have experienced over the past year is deeply disturbing and we must work together to combat hate and ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice. Nevada’s AAPI community deserves to be heard and protected, and I’m proud to stand with the Biden Administration and my colleagues in supporting this important legislation that will help our state and our nation fight intolerance and discrimination. I look forward to passing these protections into law,” she said.
