March 28, 2021

Senate Democrats are vowing quick action to stem the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans. But their modest legislative effort is headed toward the same political paralysis that’s plagued Congress after past national tragedies.

As the nation reels from an Atlanta shooting that killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent, President Joe Biden has thrown his weight behind two bills aimed at improving hate crimes reporting. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday one of the bills would be a top priority next month. So far, however, not a single Republican has endorsed it.

Unlike immigration or voting rights, hate crime is an issue with few obvious political pitfalls — and the discriminatory violence against Asian Americans that’s increased during the coronavirus pandemic has raised its national profile. Yet Congress is still confronting a dynamic that recalls its long-running inability to respond to rising gun violence: While lawmakers in both parties are quick to condemn wrongdoing after mass shootings and other tragic events, enacting a law that addresses them is once again proving elusive.

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https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/28/asian-american-hate-crimes-congress-478168