US President Joe Biden has signed legislation to address the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"On Thursday, May 20, 2021, the President signed into law: S. 937, the 'COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act,' which requires the Justice Department to facilitate expedited review of hate crimes and authorizes grants to State, local, and tribal governments to prevent, address, or respond to hate crimes," the White House said in a release on Thursday.
This comes after the US House of Representatives adopted the Senate-passed bill on Tuesday.
"For centuries, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders -- diverse and vibrant communities -- have helped build this nation only to be often stepped over, forgotten, or ignored," Biden said in his statement.
"Every time we're silent, every time we let hate flourish, you make a lie of who we are as a nation. I mean it literally," he added.
The legislation would require the Justice Department to facilitate an expedited review of hate crimes in the United States. The measure would also provide grants to states to establish state-run hate crimes reporting hotlines and to boost efforts to gather more data on reported hate crimes, Sputnik reported.
The bill would also require any individuals convicted of a hate crime to participate in educational classes or community service.
( With inputs from ANI )
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