US House passes legislation addressing violence against Asian-Americans
- Violence against the Asian American community has increased since last year
- The bill secured a final vote tally of 364-62
- US President Joe Biden is now expected to sign the bill into law
The United States House of Representatives passed a highly awaited legislation on Tuesday that addresses and takes measures against hate crime carried out against the Asian-American community. The violence has reportedly increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The legislation was endorsed by many Democratic leaders, including US President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign the bill into law when it reaches his desk.
Also Read: Protests demanding end to violent anti-Asian acts gain momentum in US
The bill garnered significant support in the lower house of US legislation with the final voting outcome being 364-62. All votes that were recorded against the bill came from members of the Republican party, reported CNN.
Among a multitude of provisions in the bill aimed at mitigating the violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders community (AAPI), the highlight remains the creation of a post at the US Department of Justice to review reports of COVID-related hate crime.
Also Read: 94 vs 1: US Senate clears anti-Asian hate crime bill
However, some US-based activists and organisations have expressed their disbelief in the legislation saying that the bill depends too much on law enforcement authorities while not addressing the causality of the situation.
US leaders like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer have supported the bill since its inception in the American legislature.
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