U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, an original cosponsor of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, released the statement below following Senate passage:
“I’m proud to stand with Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Grace Meng to help pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. We have a shared responsibility to keep Asian community members safe, particularly seniors and women most impacted by the scourge of anti-Asian hatred. It’s on all of us to stand up and speak out against all forms of hatred and violence. I am proud to have co-sponsored the Senate-passed COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, an important step towards confronting this emergency, and to preventing future harm against Asian Americans.”