[Pages H4495-H4508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CONDEMNING ALL FORMS OF ANTI-ASIAN SENTIMENT AS RELATED TO COVID-19

Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1107, I call
up the resolution (H. Res. 908) condemning all forms of anti-Asian
sentiment as related to COVID-19, and ask for its immediate
consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Tlaib). Pursuant to House Resolution
1107, the resolution is considered read.
The text of the resolution is as follows:

H. Res. 908

Whereas 23,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
account for 7 percent of the Nation's population in the
United States;
Whereas over 2,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders are working on the frontlines of this COVID-19
pandemic in health care, law enforcement, first responders,
transportation, supermarkets, and other service industries;
Whereas the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric
related to COVID-19, such as the ``Chinese Virus'', ``Wuhan
Virus'', and ``Kung-flu'' have perpetuated anti-Asian stigma;
Whereas since January 2020, there has been a dramatic
increase in reports of hate crimes and incidents against
those of Asian descent;
Whereas according to a recent study, there were over 400
cases related to COVID-19 anti-Asian discrimination between
February 9, 2020, and March 7, 2020;
Whereas the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric has
resulted in Asian Americans being harassed, assaulted, and
scapegoated for the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas in March 2020, anti-Asian violence includes: a
woman wearing a mask was kicked and punched at a New York
City subway station; two children and two adults were stabbed
at a wholesale grocery in Midland, Texas; a couple was
assaulted and robbed by a group of attackers in Philadelphia;
and a 16-year-old boy was sent to the hospital after being
attacked by bullies in Los Angeles, California;
Whereas the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric has also
resulted in Asian-American businesses being targeted for
vandalism;
Whereas there are approximately 2 million Asian American-
owned businesses that generate over $700 billion in annual
revenue and employ nearly 4.5 million workers;
Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize that
naming COVID-19 by its geographic location or linking it to a
specific ethnicity perpetuates stigma;
Whereas in 2015, the WHO issued guidance calling on media
outlets, scientists, and national authorities to avoid naming
infectious diseases for locations to avoid stigmatizing
groups of people;
Whereas, on February 27, 2020, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services stated ``ethnicity is not what causes the
novel coronavirus'' and that it is inappropriate and
inaccurate to call COVID-19 the ``Chinese virus'';
Whereas, on February 28, 2020, Dr. Mitch Wolfe, the Chief
Medical Officer of the CDC said, ``Stigma is the enemy of
public health'';
Whereas, on March 10, 2020, Dr. Robert Redfield, the
Director of the CDC, testified that use of the term ``Chinese
coronavirus'' is wrong and inappropriate; and
Whereas the Secretary General of the United Nations called
for international solidarity and an end to any ill-founded
discrimination of the outbreak's victims: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce
any and all anti-Asian sentiment in any form;
(2) recognizes that the health and safety of all Americans,
no matter their background, must be of utmost priority;
(3) condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism,
xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment,
scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance;
(4) calls on Federal law enforcement officials, working
with State and local officials--
(A) to expeditiously investigate and document all credible
reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against the
Asian-American community in the United States;
(B) to collect data to document the rise of incidences of
hate crimes due to COVID-19; and
(C) to hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or
threats accountable and bring such perpetrators to justice;
and
(5) recommits United States leadership in building more
inclusive, diverse, and tolerant societies--
(A) to prioritize language access and inclusivity in
communication practices; and
(B) to combat misinformation and discrimination that put
Asian Americans at risk.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The resolution shall be debatable for 1
hour, equally divided and controlled by the

[[Page H4496]]

chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
The gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler) and the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Jordan) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

General Leave

Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H. Res. 908.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 908, a resolution
condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19.
Among other things, the resolution, introduced by my colleague from
New York, Representative Grace Meng, calls upon all public officials to
condemn and denounce anti-Asian sentiment, and it calls on Federal law
enforcement officials to investigate and document all credible reports
of hate crimes against Asian Americans, to collect data on the rise of
hate crimes incidents due to COVID-19, and to hold perpetrators
accountable.
The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing crisis for our country. Over 6.6
million Americans have been infected, and almost 200,000 have died from
COVID-19. It has upended the lives of almost every American in some
way, and it will continue to do so for some time as we brace for a
potential second wave of infections.
On top of bearing the burdens that the pandemic has imposed on all
Americans, Asian Americans have been forced to carry the added anxiety
of confronting racial prejudice, including racially motivated
harassment and violence stemming from the stigma that has unfairly
associated them with COVID-19 because of the virus' origin in China, a
stigma that has been reinforced by rhetoric suggesting such a link.
According to the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, since
March 19, there have been almost 2,600 cases of anti-Asian
discrimination related to COVID-19.
According to the resolution, at the pandemic's earliest stage in this
country, between February 9 and March 7, there were over 400 such
incidents. These include the stabbings of an Asian-American father and
two young children, ages 2 and 6, in Texas.
Public health entities, including the World Health Organization and
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have recognized that
labeling a virus by geographic or ethnic terms unfairly stigmatizes
certain communities and ultimately harms public health. For this
reason, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar rightly
condemned the use of the phrase ``Chinese virus'' in testimony before
the Ways and Means Committee, stating that: ``Ethnicity it is not what
causes the novel coronavirus.''
It is incumbent on all public figures, including elected officials
like us, to publicly condemn bigotry and the stigmatization of racial
or ethnic groups unfairly targeted for blame. We must speak out clearly
against such attitudes and acts of hate whenever they occur, but
particularly in the face of public panic or fear during a national
emergency, when society can be especially vulnerable to racist appeals
and prejudices.
While many public figures have admirably sought to end COVID-19-
related animosity, some, unfortunately, appear not to share the same
sense of moral duty. Rather than using their bully pulpits to confront
prejudice and racial hatred, they have instead chosen repeatedly to use
derogatory and prejudicial phrases and remarks, reinforcing the
exclusion and stigmatization of Asian Americans in the face of a
national crisis, a tactic that sadly has a long and ugly history in our
country.
Left unchecked, this type of rhetoric has, in the past, led to grave
injustices like the Chinese Exclusion Act and the internment of
Japanese Americans during World War II.
In the year 2020, condemning bigotry and racial scapegoating should
not be hard for any Member of this House to do. It is long past time to
leave the days of yellow peril hysteria and unjustified blame of the
other behind.
The House can take an important step in that direction by passing H.
Res. 908 unanimously. I urge strong support for this resolution, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, we oppose this legislation. Everyone knows
racism is wrong, but that is not what this legislation is about.
I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins).
Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, let's be clear. There is no
denying where the virus originated. It was China.
There is no denying the Chinese Communist Party has done everything
in its power to cover up their role in the ongoing pandemic,
intentionally misleading the global community and forcing their friends
in the World Health Organization to do their bidding.
That being said, how is that Democrats are still refusing to
acknowledge China's role in the coronavirus pandemic? Just recently, a
Chinese virologist acknowledged that the coronavirus was released from
a Chinese lab in Wuhan. Are we just to pretend that didn't exist or is
not even a possibility?
It seems like the route the Democrats would like us to take is to
pretend that the Communists in China absolutely played no role in the
global pandemic and blame it all on the President.
To be clear, Madam Speaker, all forms of racism and discrimination
are abhorrent, including anti-Asian sentiment. If that is what we were
talking about today, that would be even better. But this is not what we
are talking about today.

The underlying tone, even from the chairman, is discussing how we
deal with this in words. I have stood on this floor several times over
the past year-and-a-half in denouncing all forms of hatred on both
sides.
But let's be honest. That is not what this bill is really about. This
bill is exactly what this entire Congress has been about the entire
time: Democrats ignoring the real issues plaguing Americans, just for
the opportunity to criticize President Trump.
Despite their overwhelming failure to undermine the Trump
administration through the Russian collusion hoax and the sham
impeachment, the Democratic playbook has not changed at all.
Now, a little over 6 weeks from the election, Democrats are leaning
on the global crisis to continue their admonitions, all at the expense
of American families and businesses desperate for relief.
Democrats have taken no issue in ignoring the coronavirus' effects on
the ground in favor of criticizing the President, and no criticism is
more dynamic than their collective offense at President Trump calling
the virus the ``China virus'' or the ``Wuhan virus.''
Democrats would love for the American people to forget the work that
the administration has done to tackle the virus, including shutting
down travel for China in the early days of the virus. Instead of
applauding the move, Democrats and Joe Biden accused the Trump
administration and President Trump of fanning the flames of hate, fear,
and xenophobia, when his actual actions kept others from getting it and
kept it from spreading because it was coming from China.
For the last 3 years, Democrats have repeatedly claimed that Russia
must have something on Donald Trump. The real question is, frankly,
during a presidential election, what does the Chinese Communist Party
have on Joe Biden?
Democrats would also love for the American people to forget that many
viruses are named for where they originated. Take the Spanish flu, the
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Ebola, and German measles. Because
the Democrats seem to be so bankrupt on this floor of bringing bills
and real solutions forward, maybe the next 2 weeks we are up here, we
are going to have one on the German measles and the Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome.
That is all we are doing, wasting the people's time with this right
here. If you want to work on politics, go outside the Capitol, not here
on the floor of this House.

[[Page H4497]]

President Trump and Republicans have made it clear where the blame of
this virus begins. It begins and ends with the Chinese Communist Party
and their refusal to acknowledge the problem they had and let it go
into all the world. Refusing to acknowledge that fact is wrong, and
failing to address it in the House, in favor of political messaging
bills like this, is nothing more than political attempts to take down
this President.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).
Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, last March, as the COVID-19 pandemic
first began to affect our day-to-day lives, the FBI warned that we
could soon see a rise in hate crimes committed against Asian Americans.
In this moment, President Trump could have tried to bring Americans
together. That is not the path he chose.
Instead, the President has poured gasoline on the fire, using terms
like ``kung flu'' and ``China virus.'' The White House has stoked
racial tensions and fed into our country's worst xenophobic impulses.
From March until June of this year, our country saw more than 2,100
reported hate crimes targeting Asian Americans. More than 3 in 10 Asian
Americans now say that they have been the subject of slurs or racist
jokes since the start of this pandemic.
These slurs and jokes aren't just words. They are actions designed to
make Asian Americans feel less than equal, and they have no place in
this country. But that is the reality of life in Donald Trump's
America.
This administration has tried to turn back the clock on racial
equality. This administration has demeaned, belittled, and ostracized
nearly every minority community.
Today, the House is saying no more. We will not stand by as this
administration attacks innocent men, women, and children of Asian
descent.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this excellent
resolution.

{time} 0930

Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Posey).
Mr. POSEY. Madam Speaker, I was hopeful that this resolution would
lead us to common ground. None of us here believes in discriminating
against our fellow Asian-American neighbors.
On March 23, President Trump said the Asian-American community ought
to be ``totally protected'' in light of the xenophobic attacks during
the coronavirus pandemic. ``It is very important that we totally
protect our Asian-American community in the United States and all
around the world,'' President Trump tweeted.
``They're amazing people, and the spreading of the virus is not their
fault in any way, shape, or form,'' he said. ``They're working closely
with us to get rid of it,'' the President added. ``We will prevail
together.''
I have restauranteurs in my district who suffered from bullies
because of their heritage, so I asked my staff to prepare a resolution
to echo the President's sentiments. My staff reported to me that such a
resolution already existed, H. Res. 908, ostensibly to protect Asian
Americans.
On April 7, I signed onto what I considered to be a good faith effort
to protect Asian Americans. I am more than saddened to see that this
resolution and today's debate is being used for nothing more than to
malign and vilify the President of the United States, just as the
President and congressional Republicans have been called domestic
enemies in the last couple of days. I would hope for more, but, sadly,
this body has chosen to take the low road.
This debate has devolved into finger-pointing, name-calling, and
scoring political points. Rather than reaching a high watermark for
bringing us all together, it has further ripped apart the fabric of
America. I am deeply disappointed and will not be a party to today's
partisan exercise that is more about scoring political points than
rebuilding America.
We should be working together to help all Americans recover, to
investigate COVID-19, which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of
deaths around the world, trillions lost and trillions more spent
responding to COVID. Lives and dreams have been shattered.
We have a duty to all Americans to find a cure, to get to the bottom
of just how this pandemic started, and to do what we can to prevent it
from happening ever again in the future.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi).
Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Res.
908, condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment related to COVID-19.
Since this pandemic began, there have been thousands and thousands of
reports of discrimination and xenophobic attacks against Asian
Americans in the United States, including in my district, which has one
of the highest concentrations of Asian Americans in the country.
As an Asian American myself, this is deeply personal and offensive to
me. When people, including those in the White House, refer to COVID-19
as the Chinese virus or the kung-flu, they encourage bigotry or
discrimination against Asian Americans.
To put it simply, promoting anti-Asian-American sentiment or anti-
Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19 is un-American, which is why I
am proud to cosponsor this resolution and encourage my colleagues to
vote ``yes.''
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, again, we all know racism is wrong, but that is not
what this is about. This is just another effort of the Democrats to
attack the President.
The third whereas in the resolution, the gentlemen just spoke about
this. The third whereas in the resolution says you perpetuate anti-
Asian bias if you use the terms ``Chinese virus'' or ``Wuhan virus.''
Well, someone should have told the media this.
CNN called it the Wuhan virus. MSNBC called it the Chinese
coronavirus. ABC and CBS called it China's coronavirus. CNBC called it
the China coronavirus. So someone should have told the media that you
couldn't use these terms.
Frankly, someone should have told the Democrats a few months ago that
a few months later the mob, the cancel culture, would say this is a
term you can't use, because the Democrats used it on their committee
notice.
In the January 29, 2020, committee notice, House Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation, Congressman
Barrett, the chairman, says in the subject line of the hearing for the
following week: ``Subject: The Wuhan coronavirus.''
Someone should have told the Democrats you can't use that term, but
in the new woke world you can't state the truth.
And as Mr. Collins pointed out:
Did the virus start in China? Yes.
Did the virus start in Wuhan, China? Yes.
Did China lie to the United States about the severity and the origins
of this virus? Yes.
Did China lie to the world about the virus? Yes, they did.
Did the World Health Organization lie to the United States? Yes, they
did.
Did the World Health Organization lie to the rest of the world?
The answer to every single one of those questions is yes. But you
can't say that, not in this world, not in the politically correct
cancel culture. You can't state the truth.
You can't state that the Chinese Government launched a disinformation
campaign to cover up its role in exacerbating the spread of COVID-19.
You can't say the coverup included punishing doctors, limiting the
access of journalists, censoring the internet, spreading
disinformation, and withholding information from the entire
international community. You can't say that.
You can't say a Chinese Government official publicly and falsely
claimed that the United States Army brought it to Wuhan, the Chinese
Government failed to institute a full-scale public response, and
underreporting of COVID-19 cases and deaths propelled the virus on the
course that it has been on. You can't say all that. You could a few
months ago. You could have a few months ago, but you can't today. That
is the cancel culture world. That is how the mob operates today.

You used to be able to say, as Mr. Collins pointed out, the West Nile
virus, the Zika virus, German measles, Spanish flu. Not today. Not
today. They will attack you if you don't say it

[[Page H4498]]

the way they want you to say it, and this is dangerous. You can't say
China virus today, and tomorrow who knows what it will be.
But, like I said, a few months ago, even the Democrat committee
chairman used the very term that is in their resolution they are saying
you can't use today because somehow it is anti-Asian bias. I think it
has more to do with the fact that we are 7 weeks before an election,
and this is one more way to go after the President.
But we should all remember, this is dangerous when you start saying
certain things can't be said. If you don't say it the way we, the
politically correct, the cancel culture mob wants you to say it, you
have to be quiet.
Silence is the biggest threat to the First Amendment, and that is
what we are seeing. And they want to just say--this is broader, this is
bigger.
I would say look at the sports world. Look at the sports world. Drew
Brees says you should stand for the national anthem; he gets attacked.
Mike Gundy, football coach at Oklahoma State, goes fishing with his
kids and wears what the mob says is the wrong T-shirt; he almost loses
his job. He wore a T-shirt that had a conservative news outlet on the
T-shirt. Oh, my goodness.
You can't coach football if you wear the wrong T-shirt with your
kids, according to the mob. You can't say a term today that just a few
months ago they used on their committee notice. You can't say it today
because that is what the mob says.
James Harden says ``Back the Blue'' on a mask. He has to answer for
that.
Last week, two high school football players--on 9/11--ran on the
field with a Back the Blue flag and a flag supporting our firefighters,
and they get suspended because today the mob says that is not okay.
We need to understand the cancel culture restricting, limiting,
telling you what you can and can't say is so darn dangerous, and it
will never stop, because the mob never--it never quits.
You don't believe me? Two weeks ago--2 weeks ago--the mayor of this
city, our Nation's Capital, has a proposal to remove and relocate the
Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. This is how
ridiculous--this is how ridiculous it gets.
And maybe I will just finish with this. Maybe the most ridiculous
thing is the last clause, the last page of their resolution. The last
page says: ``recommits United States leadership in building more
inclusive, diverse, and tolerant societies . . . to combat
misinformation. . . .''
Now, think about this for a second. If you state the truth, the virus
started in China, you are a bad guy. You are not allowed to state the
truth. This resolution says that is misinformation.
The very misinformation that happened was China misinforming the
world, lying to the world. You are not allowed to talk about that. You
have to do what--this resolution says you have to do it the politically
correct, the woke way, the cancel culture way, and that is why this is
so darn wrong, so darn wrong.
I hope we don't continue to travel down this road. This is scary
where the left wants to take the country, so dangerous for the First
Amendment and free speech rights.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Kim).
Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this
resolution and in strong opposition to the rise of hate crimes and acts
of racism toward Americans of Asian descent.
We all know that these are divisive times. They are tough times.
Hateful language, petty name-calling, and acts of violence are not the
way for us to get through these tough times. This resolution allows
Congress to come together to speak with one voice, that hate targeted
at the Asian-American community has no place in this country and must
be condemned.
I am especially proud to speak here today with so many of my AAPI
colleagues. Many of us have been the victims of these hateful and
harmful actions. We have seen firsthand the vitriol of racism. We have
felt the sting of the distrustful look or a harsh word.
I hope you will join me today in acknowledging the impact of racism
and forcefully renouncing it. I hope you will join me here today in
calling on unity and calling out division. And I hope you will join me
here today in passing a resolution that can remind us that even in the
darkest times we are strongest when we reject hate and embrace
America's diversity.

Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Biggs), the chairman of the Freedom Caucus.
Mr. BIGGS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I join in condemning racial discrimination of all
kinds. It should never be tolerated. I wish we had the perfect society
and everybody recognized everybody in a colorblind way, but what this
bill does today is it doesn't address that.
When I heard the chairman of the Judiciary Committee just refer to
calling the virus that originated in China the Wuhan prefecture, when I
heard him say that this is somehow equivalent to the Chinese
Immigration Exclusion Act or somehow equivalent to the Japanese
internment camp experience that we had where over 100,000 Japanese were
removed from their homes and taken to camps, I said: This really is the
woke culture on steroids. This has gone beyond.
If this would have been a condemnation of anti-Asian discrimination,
I probably would have been right there signing this. I lived in
northeast Asia for 2 years. I speak Japanese. I have traveled
extensively in Asia. This doesn't address that. What it does is says:
You know what, we want to do something when we are about 6 weeks out
from an election. That is what this resolution is about. You can't tell
the truth here.
Let's just recite some of the things we know:
The West Nile virus, that is because that virus emerged from the West
Nile district of Uganda, 1930.
The Saint Louis encephalitis virus broke out around St. Louis in
1933.
The Japanese encephalitis virus broke out in Japan in 1870.

{time} 0945

Coxsackie, New York State; Marburg, Germany; Hendra, Australia, all
have viruses named after them.
You will always have the ignorant who act out on racial animus. We
condemn that. But let's tell the truth. The Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome virus in 2012. We call that ``MERS.''
This week we learned from Chinese virologist Dr. Li-Meng Yan that not
only did this virus originate in China, but it may have been
manufactured and released intentionally by the Chinese Communist Party.
So when the media refers to this as the ``Wuhan virus'' or the
``China virus,'' and other officials, including folks from this party
over here, it is not because they have an existing racist sentiment,
but it is rather to describe its origination as has been done
historically.
This resolution today is even more than a measure to appease the woke
and tolerant and politically correct leftists. It is an attack on
President Trump and all who support President Trump.
It is a crying shame that you can't take the actual issue that you
want to address and address it. You have to expand it that way for
political purposes. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding and also for his tremendous leadership. And also, I
acknowledge Representative Meng for spearheading this important
resolution.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 908 to condemn all
forms of anti-Asian hate speech related to COVID-19.
Now, this pandemic is leading to an alarming rate of hateful speech
directed at people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United
States. And the truth is, as an African American, I know what hate and
racism is and I know the violence that results.
And the facts are: Since March, there have been over 2,500 reported
cases of anti-Asian discrimination related to COVID-19, including over
1,100 cases in my home State of California.
At the same time, by no accident or coincidence, the White House
continues to refer to COVID-19 as the

[[Page H4499]]

``China virus'' and ``kung flu'' trying to shift attention and blame
away from this administration's inadequate response and poor
leadership. They would rather scapegoat Asian Americans, exacerbating
anti-Asian hate and violence.
Congress needs to send a clear message that we will stand with our
AAPI community, especially during these challenging times, to fight
bigotry and racism within our country.
Hate speech does lead to violence and discrimination. That is the
truth.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to condemn the xenophobic
anti-Asian rhetoric that President Trump and his allies have been using
to distract us from their woefully inadequate response to COVID-19.
By referring to COVID-19 almost exclusively as the ``China virus,''
the President is fueling racism and inspiring violent attacks on Asian
Americans and Asian immigrants. Rather than condemning this divisive
language and unifying our Nation in response to the pandemic, my
Republican colleagues are blindly following suit.
This partisanship is so pervasive that Congresswoman Meng's simple
resolution condemning this anti-Asian sentiment could not be passed
unanimously out of this Chamber. This is a disgrace. A disgrace.
The COVID-19 pandemic has become a defining moment in our Nation's
history. Instead of unifying to confront this disease head-on,
Republicans have instead weaponized this to revive the racist blemishes
of the past.
Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Kelly of Illinois). Members are reminded
to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Was it a disgrace a few months ago when the Democratic chairman
called it the `` Wuhan coronavirus,'' or is it just a disgrace now when
we are less than 7 weeks before an election and you guys want to
continue to attack the President? Which is it? Because it can't be a
disgrace just now when you used the exact same language that the
Democrat chairman, the Democrat staff used for their subcommittee
hearing.
So you can get all fired up and start yelling at us, but the truth is
you guys used it, the same terms you are now saying, oh, are so bad in
this resolution.
The hypocrisy from the left and the mob of what you can say today and
can't say tomorrow is ridiculous, and the American people see it. They
see it. They know this is complete BS. They know it is completely about
the election, which is 7 weeks away.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Arrington).
Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my dear friend
from Ohio, for yielding.
I am listening to my colleagues and the recent speaker. Where is that
passion, where is that indignation over the violent mobs that are
terrorizing our communities, that are assaulting our law enforcement
officers?
People are being killed in cold blood in once great American cities,
and not nigh a word is said in this great Chamber about what is
happening to our fellow Americans whose rights are being trampled.
Instead, they want to hyperventilate over this pettiness.
We know what it is about, and the American people know what it is
about, Madam Speaker. They know good and well this is about scoring
political points. They have seen it over and over, day in and day out
for the last 2 years under the Pelosi leadership of this great
representative body; obstruction, more political theater, and just
dividing us.
This is dividing our country. This is opportunism like I have never
seen before. You can't refer to a virus by its place of origin? We have
been doing that for time immemorial. And now we can't call it the
``Chinese virus,'' somehow that is offensive?
This is about dividing our country. This is about stoking the flames
of racial dissension. It is un-American. It is unacceptable for our
leaders to do what is happening today. I trust the American people;
they are watching this.
This is the stark contrast in leadership that we have been talking
about. Do you want more of this, America?
Do you want more resolutions to condemn calling the virus the ``Wuhan
virus?'' Or do you want to condemn what is happening in Portland, in
Seattle, and the rise in crime and the mass exodus by our police
officers, who feel that they have jeopardized their livelihoods and
their lives? We have disrespected them. We have demonized them.
What are we doing in this Chamber? God save the Union. God have mercy
that we can't just come together, solve a few problems, I don't know,
like the unprecedented crisis that we are facing to get our fellow
American citizens and families back on their feet. To hold China
accountable for what they have done.
There are real problems to solve, and I want to work with my
colleagues. And they know we condemn racism. They know we don't stand
for making light of something so serious. But they are seizing on this
political opportunistic moment. It is the wrong time. They are on the
wrong side of history here, Madam Speaker. And the ultimate judge of
what happens today in this Chamber and what has happened over the last
2 years will be in the hands of we the people. And that is my faith,
that is my confidence.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Hawaii (Mr. Case).
Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, and back to the subject of the resolution on
the floor, which is discrimination against any and all Americans on the
basis of their race.
As the proud Representative of the State and district with the
highest percentage of Asian Americans in this country, I rise today in
strong support of H. Res. 908 to condemn any and all forms of anti-
Asian discrimination during and beyond this terrible pandemic.
Our country confronts not only the novel coronavirus but also a virus
of racism and hate. We cannot allow the one to feed off the other.
On behalf of all Americans, we have a moral responsibility to call
out and condemn this wave of racist hate speech, harassment,
discrimination, and physical violence driven by fear, disinformation,
and even purposeful exploitation.
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this
resolution without reservation and speak out against racism against any
group in any form at any time.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the
distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski).
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Madam Speaker, after 9/11, President Bush never once
called terrorism a Muslim virus or an Arab virus or a Saudi virus. He
made clear that the enemy was not the place where the terrorists came
from or the people who lived there, but terrorism itself. He did that
because it was right and because he knew that equating the evil of al-
Qaida with an entire faith or nationality or country was exactly what
our enemies wanted.
So today, when prominent people in our country, whether they are
Republicans or Democrats, or anybody in the media, encourage Americans
to call COVID the ``China virus,'' language that seems to blame this
pandemic on a country and a people, they are not only doing something
wrong, something that has already encouraged violence and
discrimination against Asian Americans, they are playing right into the
hands of a Chinese Communist Party that wants Asian Americans to feel
unwanted and unsafe in America.
Now, if you want to blame this on the Chinese Government, sign me up.
If you want to blame them or anybody else for lying to the American
people, sign me up. But if you are going to give this virus a
nationality, you are doing something wrong. And if you don't see the
difference between those two things, then you don't understand what is
going on in this country in this moment of division, this moment of
danger that we face.
Madam Speaker, I am proud to support this resolution condemning anti-

[[Page H4500]]

Asian rhetoric in any form. I ask my colleagues to vote for it, and I
urge them to live up to it.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from California (Mr. Cisneros).

Mr. CISNEROS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this
resolution condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment related to
COVID-19.
The AAPI community in the 39th District has been an integral part of
fighting the coronavirus. They are first responders, essential workers,
educators, and small business owners.
Yet there have been too many stories in my district and across the
country of racism, discrimination, and physical and verbal assault
towards Asian Americans.
I had the opportunity to hear some of these stories during one of my
town halls, including the emotional encounter of a constituent from
Brea, California. This young woman was unable to pick up her mother's
prescription drugs due to racist aggressive remarks she received that
were directed towards her. She left, running away in tears.
This resolution will assure that cases like hers are justly
investigated and receive the attention they deserve.
I thank my colleague Representative Meng for her leadership, and I
urge my colleagues to vote in support of this resolution to ensure
protection, safety, and respect for our AAPI community.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).
Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding
the time.
Madam Speaker, on this Constitution Day we will do well to heed the
words of Dr. King when he reminded us that the ultimate measure of the
person is not where the person stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where do you stand in times of challenge and
controversy?
Where do you stand when racism and anti-Semitism and anti-Asian
sentiments are emanating from the highest office in the land?
Where do you stand?

{time} 1000

I stand with the business owner who is losing business, and some have
gone out of business because of this kind of hateful violence emanating
from words.
I stand with the mother who has to console her child who comes home
from school and who has been bullied. I stand with the child who has
been bullied who comes home crying.
I stand with the people of my congressional district and across this
land who happen to be of Asian ancestry.
I stand against racism.
It is easy to say: ``I am against racism. I condemn racism.'' But
when will you condemn the racist? When will you condemn the racist when
it is emanating from the highest office in the land?
This is Constitution Day.
I close with these words from Emily Dickinson. The truest measure of
the person, I have reminded you, but Dickinson reminded us that: ``A
word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live
that day.''
These words live; they take on meanings; they impact people; and they
cause harms.
It is time for us to take a stand.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, the import of this resolution could not be more clear.
Anti-Asian sentiment will not be tolerated. Anti-Semitism will not be
tolerated. Discrimination against anyone will not be tolerated.
When language comes consistently from the White House, from other
places that stoke anti-Asian sentiment, that stoke racism, this cannot
be tolerated. And this House must declare that we will not tolerate it.
This House must be on record against the use of language designed to
stoke racism, against the use of language designed to pick out a
particular ethnic group--in this case Asians, but it is the same as if
it picked out a different ethnic group.
No ethnic group should be the target of such obloquy, of such racism,
of such opposition from the White House. None.
It is unconscionable that we have to stand here and oppose the White
House stoking anti-Asian sentiment. It is unconscionable that the White
House would do such a thing. But if it does such a thing, then it is
incumbent on this House to denounce it.
It is incumbent on this House to make sure that the American people
know that we do not stand with anyone, whether in the White House or
anyplace else, who stokes deliberately anti-Asian sentiment.
We cannot abide, we must not abide, the use of public office, the use
of public facilities, the use of the public microphone to stoke anti-
Asian sentiment, no more than we would tolerate it if it were stoking
anti-Black sentiment or anti-Semitic sentiment.
None of this is tolerable. We must not permit this.
So, I say again, it cannot be allowed that, on the floor of this
House, we do not denounce the use of public resources, the use of the
White House, the use of public resources to stoke anti-Asian sentiment.
Mr. JORDAN. Will the gentleman yield for a question?
Mr. NADLER. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio for a question.
Mr. JORDAN. Was The Washington Post on January 26, 2020, to use your
words, stoking anti-Asian bias when they used the word ``Chinese
coronavirus''? Was The New York Times on February 20, 2020, stoking
anti-Asian bias when they used the term ``Wuhan coronavirus'' in their
headline?
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time.
They learned their lesson. They stopped using such terms. They
learned their lesson.
They understood what this House should understand. They understood
that the use of such terms stokes racism, stokes anti-Asian sentiment,
and they stopped using the term because they learned the lesson.
All we are saying is the White House should learn the same lesson,
and they should stop using the term. And for that matter, Members of
this House should stop using the term because it deliberately stokes
anti-Asian sentiment.
The Washington Post learned that lesson and ceased using such terms.
The Washington Post learned the lesson.
We are not saying that everyone knew this initially, but it is clear.
It is now clear.
The Washington Post learned its lesson and stopped using such terms.
The New York Times learned its lesson when they realized that it was
stoking anti-Asian sentiment and stopped using this term.
We are saying that the White House and Members of this House and
anyone else should learn the same lesson and not stoke anti-Asian
sentiment by continuing the use of terms that we know stoke anti-Asian
sentiment.
Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California
(Mr. Bera).
Mr. BERA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 908, led
by my colleague Representative Grace Meng.
I do feel compelled, though, to respond to my colleague on the other
side of the aisle, Mr. Jordan. I was that subcommittee chairman. We
held the first coronavirus hearing in this new pandemic addressing the
issues.
Yes, we did identify it by its geographic origin as the Wuhan
coronavirus. We also learned that as soon as we started to see
instances of racism, violence against Asian Americans, that was a
mistake. We stopped using that term. That is what we do as adults.
We are not here to instigate racism. We are not here to instigate
violence against any ethnic group.
What we are here to do is actually defeat this pandemic.
In that hearing, what we talked about is it is fine doing a travel
ban from a country. That would buy us some time. But we also rightfully
identified that that travel ban wasn't going to prevent the virus from
coming to the United States. It wasn't going to protect us. We had to
get ready.

We squandered that time.

[[Page H4501]]

Look, this is a virus. It doesn't understand a country of origin. It
doesn't know whether you are a Democrat or Republican, what religion or
God you worship. It is a virus.
It is shameful for Members of this body or anyone to continue to use
language that potentially incites violence against any of our fellow
citizens. That is what this resolution is about. Let's actually learn
from that.
I don't call it by its geographic origin. It now has a name. At that
time, it didn't have a name. It is called SARS-CoV2 or COVID-19.
We ought to call it by its name. We should not willfully or
intentionally use language that potentially incites violence against
any of our fellow citizens, that incites racism. We should be better
than that.
Let's show the American public that we can actually learn, and let's
lead by example. That is what we should be doing in the House of
Representatives.
Again, we called it by its area of origin because the virus didn't
have a name. We have learned from that. We don't do that. And we
shouldn't intentionally use terminology that would incite violence
against any ethnic group, religious group, or any of our fellow
citizens.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might
consume.
Madam Speaker, what we should also do is denounce violence, all the
violence, we see in our urban areas.
The Democrats were given that opportunity just 2 months ago when the
Attorney General of the United States asked them: Why won't you speak
out against the violence in our cities? Why won't you speak out against
what the mob is doing in our cities?
Guess what we got from them? We got silence.
Let's speak out against the violence we have seen for over 100 days
in Portland and so many of our other great cities.
Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr.
McCarthy), the minority leader, the leader of our great Conference.
Mr. McCARTHY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
The gentleman makes a very good point. Are we here condemning two
sheriffs from California getting shot while sitting in their car? No.
Are we here talking about the innocent lives that are being killed
night after night in Chicago or other cities? No.
Are we here, in the last hours before this body rushes to the airport
to leave, to debate the help that we need for COVID, for those who are
unemployed, or the small businesses that are going to continue to lay
off somebody or are wondering whether they can survive the next day, or
for the schools wondering if they will have the resources they need, or
the States? No, we are not doing that.
We are not doing any of that. But I will make this one promise to
you: If the majority was on the other side, we would have already done
that.
Madam Speaker, Democrats are neglecting the real issues.
Month after month, they have refused to end our dependence on China
or even acknowledge that the Chinese Communist Party is a national
security threat.
I have read it in the paper. We have heard it out in the public
domain that the Communist Chinese Party wants to influence the election
even. They have picked a side.
Now, in January, Democrats were too busy impeaching the President to
pay attention to what was happening in Wuhan.
There is a common denominator here. Let's just go through the
calendar.
In January, they were too busy with impeaching.
In February, they backed out of what should have been a bipartisan
China Task Force. They actually said yes. The Washington Post actually
had the article written. The members were already chosen. But the hour
came, and the Democrats thought that was wrong.
Then, let's move to May. Speaker Pelosi said focusing on China is a
diversion. I look forward to hearing what the Speaker says about this
resolution. Is that a diversion from solving the COVID relief that we
need?
In June, Chairman Smith of the Committee on Armed Services on this
very floor, just over at that mic, said this about China: It is not
actually their job to tell the American people about the coronavirus.
Seriously? Those were the words that were spoken by the chair of the
Armed Services Committee.
In July, Chairman Schiff--remember who he is and what role he has. He
is the chairman of the Committee on Intelligence. He said it was an
escalation for the Trump administration to close down the Chinese
consulate that was, according to the Secretary of State, the hub of
spying and IP theft in Houston. He was the only one who thought that.

And now, today, while Democrats deny the real threat of Communist
China, they are delaying a coronavirus relief package because they
despise the President.
I heard a Member here, Madam Speaker, who said we are adults, so we
think differently. You know what adults do? They give adult
supervision, and they focus on things that are important.
We only have a few hours left before people leave. I know Madam
Speaker told us before August that we will not leave unless we get a
COVID relief package.
I am not sure if I should believe her then or believe her now,
because I know people are going to leave in a few short hours.
I know, as the majority, you have the power to schedule what comes to
the floor. That was one of my jobs. So this is what they picked? This
is what we are doing? Seriously?
My question to the Democrats is simple: Is debating a nonbinding
resolution the best use of our hour? Apparently, you have made that
decision. You thought long and hard long before we came to this moment
in time. You spent hours on this.
I will promise you this: There is no kitchen in America that thinks
this is the priority.
What makes today's resolution so harmful is it does not stop
discrimination. It simply spreads disinformation.
At the heart of this resolution is an absurd notion that referring to
the virus as the Wuhan virus or the China virus is the same as
contributing to violence against Asian Americans, which I will tell you
nobody on this side of the aisle supports.
In fact, we have heard time and again--I just heard from my colleague
on the other side. The Democrat-led Foreign Affairs Committee held a
hearing titled ``The Wuhan Coronavirus'' in February.

{time} 1015

Should we put an ethics complaint? Are Democrats saying that their
own committee members are encouraging discrimination against Asian
Americans?
Likewise, CNN, The Washington Post, NPR, The Guardian, all other
major media outlets were referring to COVID-19 as the Wuhan coronavirus
long before most Americans knew what it was.
Now, let's put this in contrast, because you are wasting our time;
you are spending hours on it. You think it is the most important thing,
when someone is sitting there in the unemployment line or a small
business is questioning whether they can stay open. So let's take this
moment in time on this floor talking about it.
Republicans condemn crime and discrimination in all forms. Listen to
what the President said in March: ``spreading of the virus is not their
fault in any way, shape, or form.'' But I guess you can't take his word
for it, so let's waste another hour on this floor on a nonbinding
resolution.
Madam Speaker, I wonder--because every Member who comes here works
hard to get here, I wonder the number of times Members in a debate said
they would take their time to have nonbinding resolutions on the floor.
I wonder the number of promises they made. Because I listened, Madam
Speaker, to the Speaker up there when I handed her the gavel on what
they said they would focus on.
I have spent a lot of time trying to wonder what one problem this
Democrat majority has solved. I have actually asked Democrats: Name me
one that you solved.
I haven't read a tweet from probably the most prominent of the new
party's chief of staff. They had the same question. They couldn't
answer it.

[[Page H4502]]

The President's words express what every good and decent American has
known from the beginning: Asian Americans are not responsible for
COVID-19.
Let me be very clear. Let me state that again. The President's words
express what every good and decent American has known from the
beginning: Asian Americans are not responsible for COVID-19.
Now, let me tell you everything else every American understands. We
have an economic problem. We have people unemployed. We have small
businesses questioning whether they can stay open. We have schools that
are wondering could they have the money to be able to open again.
But you chose an hour of this time on the last day before we leave to
debate a nonbinding resolution. Congratulations. Well done. You fought
hard for a majority, and this is what you decided.
Unfortunately, while Democrats waste an hour of the House's time on
this ridiculous resolution, the opportunity costs of the inaction are
rising. And do you know who is paying the price? The American people.
For months, every reasonable American has understood that America
must end our dependency on China; we must move our supply chain out of
China for critical needs like medicine.
Do you realize we don't make penicillin? We don't make vitamins here,
personal protective equipment that we strive so hard to get, and
technology.
The American people want safety and security. They want to return to
the American way of life.
I am not sure what this nonbinding resolution does, but I know we
have done a lot of them since you have taken the majority.
Unfortunately, the Chinese Communist Party is trying to hack our
vaccine research at this very moment. That is why I introduced
legislation earlier this summer to sanction these cybercriminals. My
bill had real consequences.
And you know what is so unique? I introduced the bill because there
were reports out there that Russia, China, Iran wanted to hack our
universities, our businesses to get that vaccine, not to work with us,
but to steal it.
Do you know what happens when they do that? It slows the process
down.
Do you know what happens when it slows the process down? It takes
longer before people have a safe vaccine that would cure this virus.
It is very interesting. That moment on the floor, the day after I
introduced it, we actually--the FBI found two Chinese who were doing
this, coming into our country, slowing the process down.
We had the opportunity to have a motion to recommit on this floor.
Nobody in America thought that bill would be partisan. It would only
sanction those people who were caught, about right and wrong, about the
safety, the security, a safe and effective vaccine being slowed down
because of a foreign country coming in. So, as one, we had an
opportunity to do something about it.
Do you know what happened? The Democrats voted against it and
defeated it. Not only did they defeat it, let me tell you, again, what
the chairman of the Armed Services Committee said about it. He stood up
at that microphone. He literally said it is not actually their job to
tell the American people about the virus, referring to China, while
they are hacking our own companies working to provide a safe and
effective vaccine.
You wouldn't spend 1 minute on that, but you are spending an hour on
this. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident.
Madam Speaker, the majority won't even work with the Republicans to
protect our vaccine research from hackers, and they will attack the
very companies that are working around the clock to provide that safe
and effective vaccine for the American people.
They won't work with Republicans to restore American manufacturing to
rebuild the American medical supply right here, but they will call the
House back into session to debate conspiracy theories about the post
office.
And while we were here in that emergency meeting--and, Madam Speaker,
I should probably talk about it, because there were a lot of Democrats
who didn't come even though it was an emergency meeting called by the
Speaker. I think it was one-third of all of them did not come.

But while we were here, that one moment, the one opportunity that the
Republicans had, we offered a motion, a motion to recommit, to put up
funding for COVID relief. Once again, the Democrats did the exact same
thing.
Instead of stopping the hackers from China, what they said no to,
instead of giving another COVID relief bill that opportunity--because
we were in an emergency, it was the only time we were coming back, even
though, Madam Speaker, the Speaker said we would not leave--they voted
it down. They voted it down, the only window that we had.
They won't even work with Republicans on what was supposed to be a
bipartisan China task force, but they wasted an hour on a nonbinding
resolution.
Is this how you expect to manage the Chamber? Is this why you took
the majority, to waste the American people's time?
Madam Speaker, it is time for us to stop acting like the House of
resolutions and start acting like the House of Representatives.
Make no mistake: China aims to displace America as the world's
economic superpower. If they succeed, we will have more than viruses to
worry about.
The stakes are too high for petty partisanship. If we want safety, if
we want independence, we know what we have to do. We have to rebuild
our economy, bring back our supply chain, protect our vaccine research
and, yes, end our dependency on China.
Our President is doing that. House Republicans have made a commitment
to America to do just that. We have done it time and again, bringing
the idea to the floor. Unfortunately, the majority has thought
otherwise.
Madam Speaker, I make this promise to you: If the sides change, if we
have the opportunity and the privilege to determine what comes to this
floor, we will not waste America's time in a time of crisis. We will
not tell people they will not leave and then let them go. We will not
have Members call it an emergency meeting and let them stay home.
We believe Congress is essential. We believe the American public
expects that.
Madam Speaker, we have a COVID crisis. We have an economy crisis. We
have a dependency on China that harms us when it comes to our health
issues. We have hackers from foreign nations trying to slow a safe and
effective vaccine. We have schoolkids that continue to learn from home,
not in school. We have veterans who want to be able to pick their own
doctors. We have an infrastructure that is crumbling, but a 5-year plan
to make a difference. These are all the problems that, if the majority
would switch, would be addressed.
But no, today, on our last day this week, we will once again have a
nonbinding resolution.
I hope you fought hard for this majority. I hope you spent a lot of
time and a lot of hours deciding what would come to the floor. But if
this is what it is, you have fallen well short of what America expects
of this Chamber.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to address their
remarks to the Chair.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished Speaker of the House.
Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the recognition,
but I also thank Mr. Nadler, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee,
for bringing this important statement of our American values to the
floor of the House. I thank him and our colleagues from the Senate,
Senators Kamala Harris, Tammy Duckworth, and Mazie Hirono, three Asian-
American Members of the United States Senate who were so instrumental
in advancing this important, as I said, statement of American values.
And yes, it is a good use of time for us in the House of
Representatives to state our values, to remove all doubt that people in
our country are respected, and that we are not using a pandemic to have
people--I will go into that in a moment.
But let me just say this. Before the distinguished leader spoke, the
gentleman on the other side said: Where are you when you are talking
about violence, this or that?

[[Page H4503]]

We are there. We support peaceful demonstrations. We participate in
them. They are part of the essence of our democracy. That does not
include looting, starting fires, or rioting. They should be prosecuted.
That is lawlessness. I am very proud that Joe Biden has presented the
clarity of that, making a distinction that I don't think our colleagues
quite understand but the American people do.
In a poll released today, it said that the American people support
congressional Democrats over President Trump in terms of dealing with
the issue of crime in our country, for all of their misrepresentation.
It is interesting to hear the revisionist history that the
distinguished leader put on the floor of this House when he asked us
what have we done. It is a very long list, and I will go into some of
it.
But I want to say to him, when you had the majority and the
Presidency, the one thing that you did was pass a tax bill that put $2
trillion of debt onto our children and giving 83 percent of the
benefits to the top 1 percent in our country. And yet you resent the
fact that we want to invest more money in making it safe for our
children to go back to school; more money into crushing the virus,
which is what we do in the HEROES Act; and that we want to help our
heroes. That is why it is called that.
Our State and local employees, our State and local governments that
provide services to the American people, our healthcare workers, our
first responders, our police and fire, our transportation, our
sanitation workers, our food providers, all of those people working
make life go on for us; without them, we couldn't. And our teachers,
our teachers, our teachers, the custodians of our children for a good
part of their day and of their lives.

{time} 1030

Yet the disdain that the Republicans have for our heroes is clear
because that is the obstacle to our bringing the coronavirus
legislation to the floor that is so needed. I hope that we can reach
agreement on that.
So when they talk about accomplishment, you had a President and you
had two Houses of government. What did you do but take care of the top
1 percent to the tune of 83 percent of the bill that would put $2
trillion of debt to our children and their future?
In terms of China, I have taken second place to no one in this body
in my opposition to China for three decades. Sometimes I take pride in
being called the most disliked American in China for my opposition to
China; their trade policies which have been a rip-off of the American
worker, and have fought them for decades, whether it is stealing our
intellectual property, barriers to our products going into China and
other violations; trying to stop their proliferation of weapons
technologies of mass destruction to rogue countries, and delivery
systems to make delivery possible of those weapons; to their human
rights policies in Tibet and Hong Kong and now with the Uighurs and,
again, all over China. So I have been on it every single day for over
30 years.
I need no pontificating from the leader on the other side who seems
to have newly arrived at this issue in order to deflect attention from
the fact that the Russians are trying to, once again, infiltrate and
jeopardize the security of our elections. Whoever interferes with our
elections must be dealt with, whatever country it is; but all of a
sudden it is all about China and not about Russia. I think the American
people should decide who the next President of the United States is,
not Vladimir Putin.
So we come here today, and I say this about the legislation: We have
had four bills that have been overwhelmingly bipartisan on COVID. Our
first one on March 4 was testing, testing, testing; and still we do not
have a commitment from this administration that we can crush the virus
by testing, tracing, treatment, mask wearing, sanitation, ventilation,
and separation--still. The solution is as plain as the nose on your
face, which should be covered with a mask.
Yet the President said he didn't want to cause panic, but he doesn't
mind causing panic that will result in some terrible things happening
to the Asian-American community in our country.
He has brought about great angst as he shines a bright light on the
injustices experienced by so many, including the surge of violence and
discrimination being experienced by the Asian American/Pacific Islander
community.
So I thank the Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair, Judy Chu; the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair, Joaquin Castro; and the
Congressional Black Caucus Chair, Karen Bass, for their leadership on
this important resolution and this very necessary use of our time to
condemn and combat anti-Asian sentiment. Grace Meng has led this
drumbeat for justice for a generation. Together with the other leaders
she has brought this legislation to the floor, and I salute her.
As the resolution states--and we have all seen--at the same time that
the coronavirus pandemic has broken out, so too has a disturbing
epidemic of hate and discrimination against the AAPI community erupted.
You may not have noticed it. You may have tried to ignore it, but it,
in fact, exists.
According to the Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center, more than 2,500
recorded incidents of anti-Asian hate have been perpetrated against the
AAPI community since March. These include both physical and verbal
attacks, commuters spat on, racial slurs lobbed at passersby, community
members shunned, store owners having businesses vandalized, and even
little children being pushed and shoved, and families insulted in
places of business. Many of these incidents represent civil rights
violations, and that is a value for us to protect.
It is particularly unconscionable that more than 2 million members of
the AAPI community are fighting on the front lines against the COVID-19
virus, yet instead of being celebrated as heroes, they are fighting
violence and bigotry.
In February, during one of my visits to San Francisco's Chinatown--
which I am overwhelmingly proud to represent--I was heartbroken to
witness the devastating impact that fear, stigma, and misinformation
are continuing to have on its families and businesses.
Nearly half of recorded incidents of anti-Asian hate, according to
the Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center, have occurred in California.
For many of the bay area who remember the systemic injustices and
discrimination perpetrated against generations of Asian Americans, this
resurgence is a traumatic reminder of the lingering specter of
xenophobia.
Sadly, this bigotry is being fueled by some in Washington, D.C.--I
thought there would be almost unanimous consent to condemn violence
against Asian Americans--even from the White House itself, which uses
dangerous, false, and offensive terms to describe the coronavirus.
The World Health Organization and the CDC, the Centers for Disease
Control, have explicitly warned against linking infectious diseases to
a specific ethnicity because of the stigmatizing effects which have
serious impact on health and defeating the virus. As the CDC chief
medical officer said, stigma is the enemy of public health.
Anti-AAPI bigotry violates our bedrock American values and undermines
our fight against the coronavirus, and it must end.
That is why we must do our part to combat hate, and that is why I am
proud to support this resolution and am proud to bring it to the floor
as an appropriate and excellent statement of values and good use of our
time, instead of giving tax breaks to the wealthiest people in our
country at the expense of our children and their future.
It calls on public officials to condemn and denounce any and all
anti-Asian sentiment in any form, and it recognizes that the health and
safety of all Americans, no matter their background, must be of the
utmost priority. We are none of us safe until all of us are safe.

It condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism, xenophobia,
discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or
religious intolerance.
It calls on Federal law enforcement officials working with State and
local officials to investigate and collect data on hate crimes and
bring perpetrators to justice.
It recommits our leaders to diversity and inclusion, including in our
response to COVID-19.

[[Page H4504]]

This resolution has the support of hundreds of organizations,
including from the medical and scientific communities.
Now I know science doesn't mean much to you because you are anti-
science, but the scientific community, the American College of
Physicians, recently wrote a letter of support for this resolution,
stating:

It is an essential step to support the health and safety of
our Nation during a national crisis.
Hate crimes directed against individuals based on
individuals' race, ethnic origin, ancestry, primary language,
cultural background or nationality are a true public health
threat.

He goes on to say:

It is imperative that physicians, and all people, speak out
against hate and discrimination, especially during this
national crisis caused by COVID-19.

At this challenging time, our Nation's focus should be on respecting
the dignity of everyone. That should always be the case. We cannot
allow prejudice and discrimination to divide us.
So let me just close by adding this: we had a tremendous opportunity,
as I said, we passed four bills that were overwhelmingly bipartisan.
The CARES Act has done some good things for our country. It also gave
an enormous, practically $150 billion, tax break to the wealthiest in
our country and made it retroactive.
What did that have to do with the coronavirus, making a tax break for
the wealthy retroactive?
They can't pass a bill without doing something at the high end and
then worrying when we want to help working class families in our
country.
Anyway, our counter to that bill was called the Take Responsibility
Act. Those two bills came together. We were able to find our common
ground, even though we had to swallow some bitter pills in order to
help America's working families as well as small businesses in our
country.
Why does it have to be so hard?
Because there is an anti-science attitude in this Congress and in
this administration. There is an anti-governance; there is contempt of
science; and there is disdain for State and local government which does
so much for our country.
Don't take it from me. The chairman of the Fed is saying that it
recognizes that State and local government are an important part of our
economy.
Don't take it from me that we cannot open our economy unless we crush
this virus. That is exactly what the Fed chairman said yesterday: it is
essential to do this.
But it takes money, it takes respect for science, and respect for the
advice of scientific leaders in our country that has been absent.
Instead, they play a blame game.
Who pays the price?
The Asian-American community in our country.
That is why it is essential for us to follow Grace Meng's lead and
that of the Hispanic, Asian-Pacific, and Black Caucus leadership today.
I thank, again, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee for his
leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. It is
one of many.
We have many bills that we have taken up and we will take up next
week as we try to work together to find our common ground. One thing
that we are working on right now is to keep government open, because
while they may have an anti-governance attitude, we know that we have
to make our compromises to keep government open.
So, Madam Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to use my
Speaker's 1 minute to salute the leadership and thank the sponsors of
this legislation. You bring luster to the House of Representatives when
you enable us to associate ourselves with the great values of our
country and to respect the dignity and worth of everyone in our
country. It has never been more important than in this time of great
crisis in our country.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. I want to remind all Members to address
their remarks to the Chair.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, the Speaker of the House said that the Russians are
trying to jeopardize the security of our election. So are the
Democrats.
Democrats are trying to win the election after the election.
Democrats in Pennsylvania have filed a lawsuit that says you can fix
errors on absentee ballots after the ballot has been returned to the
Board of Elections. I don't even know what this means.
Can you vote in a race you didn't vote in?
Can you change a vote?
What does that mean, you can fix errors after you have already
submitted the ballot?
In Nevada, Democrats passed a law that says you can accept mail-in
ballots 3 days after the election, even if the postmark date on the
ballot on the envelope can't be distinguished.
They are trying to win the election after the election. That is
scary.
The Speaker said that the White House is using dangerous and
offensive language. The premise of the resolution in front of us is
language can cause people to take action, and if you use the term
``China virus'' or ``Wuhan virus'', somehow that will lead to bias
against Asian-American people; even though they used the terms ``China
virus'' and ``Wuhan virus''. Everyone in the mainstream media used it.
They used it in the committee hearing notice.

Even though all that is there, they now say, oh, if you use those
terms it will lead to anti-Asian bias.
But they don't talk about the language they use and the left uses,
the language the Speaker uses and how that may create an environment
that will lead to violence. The Speaker of the House called the
President of the United States an enemy of the state and said his
supporters in Congress--Republicans--are enemies of the state.
They don't talk about that. No. China virus can lead people to take
action, but, no, not when the Speaker of the House calls the President
of the United States and Republican Members of Congress enemies of the
state.
Two years ago a Democrat Member of Congress, the chair of a committee
said this 2 years ago this summer: If you see somebody in the Trump
Cabinet, you create a crowd, you push back on them, you tell them they
are not welcome anymore anywhere.
She encouraged her constituents to approach people in the Trump
administration, harass them, and tell them they are not welcome anymore
anywhere.
She encouraged direct action. That is far different from using the
term ``China virus'' which they used and which they had in a committee
notice.

{time} 1045

This individual Member of Congress said, ``Go harass people in the
Trump Cabinet.''
The Speaker of the House calls Republicans ``enemies of the State.''
And that is all fine by them.
But, oh, you say, ``the virus started in Wuhan, China,'' and somehow
you are terrible.
This is the crazy world the left is in today. The crazy world they
are in today.
And, again, as said earlier by the gentleman from Texas and by
others, I think the American people see right through this baloney, see
right through it. This is ridiculous.
I hope we get our senses and start--as the Republican minority leader
said--I hope we would actually start spending more of our time on
issues of more value to the American people.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank our distinguished chairman of
the Committee on the Judiciary, and I thank and applaud the gentlewoman
from New York for her outstanding leadership and championing the rights
of all Americans.
Madam Speaker, from the unwarranted, unwanted allegations of
hysterectomies in immigrant women around the Nation in detention
centers, to the President of the United States taking to the bully pit
to be able to call COVID-19 and the coronavirus the ``China virus,'' we
are finding ourselves in the midst of confusion that is hurting the
American people--hurting them in two ways:
One, over 6 million COVID-19 infections in the United States, and
now, predictions of upwards of 250,000 dead.

[[Page H4505]]

Every one of them we, as Members of the United States Congress, should
mourn because families, sadly, are having to bury family members having
not seen them in their last days.
What good is it to use that word--the ``Wuhan'' virus? That is not
the scientific term. And out of that, we have created a hostile
situation for our Asian-American friends, for Asian Americans who have
been at the front lines fighting on behalf of this Nation.
The use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric related to COVID-19,
such as the Chinese virus, Wuhan virus, kung flu have perpetrated anti-
Asian stigma and is reminiscent of dark and shameful chapters in
America's past where Asian Americans were labeled as the ``yellow
peril'' and interned in relocation camps.
Madam Speaker, more than 23 million Asian American and Pacific
Islanders account for 7 percent of the Nation's population in the
United States, but over 2 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders
are working on the front lines of this COVID-19 pandemic in healthcare,
law enforcement, first responders, transportation, supermarkets, and
other service industries. They feel threatened.
For example, in March 2020, an Asian woman wearing a mask was kicked
and punched at a New York City subway station by individuals; two
children and two adults were stabbed at a wholesale grocery store. This
was anti-Asian rhetoric. Finally, let me say, my own constituent, Coco
Ma, in Houston, was afraid to go into a grocery store.
Madam Speaker, include an article describing her concern.

[From houstonchronical.com, Apr. 17, 2020]

In Houston's New Normal, a Different Curve Emerges: Outward Racism
Toward Asian Americans

(By Olivia P. Tallet)

Coco Ma knows it's risky to leave her house amid the
coronavirus pandemic, as the number of Houston area confirmed
cases increases and the peak is yet to come.
The Rice University MBA student, however, doesn't even do
the occasional run to the supermarket because, for her, the
risk comes not only with battling against the virus but also
against the vitriol aimed at Asian Americans like her,
stereotyped as culprits of the pandemic.
``I have that fear . . . I ask my husband, who is white, to
pick up the food we order. I'm afraid to go inside myself,''
said Ma, aware of the scapegoating impacting Chinese
Americans and Asians in general who are mistaken as people
from China, where the COVID-19 pandemic was first detected.
Almost 1,500 hate incidents against Asian American and
Pacific Islanders in the U.S. have been reported to the STOP
AAPI HATE initiative since it began tracking incidents March
19.
``We know that (that) number is only a drop in the bucket.
We know that this is really ubiquitous now,'' said lawyer
Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of the Asian Pacific
Policy and Planning Council and founder of the tracking hate
initiative, headquartered in California.
Although the tracking isn't well known around the country,
it has already received reports of incidents in 46 states,
including Texas, said Kulkarni. The majority of the attacks
are verbal, but some are also physical.

To report incidents

Hate and racist incidents against Asian Americans related
to the COVID-19 pandemic can be reported to: Hate is
Contagious: racismiscontagious.com; Stop AAPI Hate:
asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/stop-aapi-hate.
In West Texas, a man stabbed and cut members of a family
from Burma, at a supermarket in Midland on March 14. The
father and one of his two small children were severely
wounded before a store employee subdued the attacker. The man
allegedly said he did it because he thought the family was
from China and infecting people with the virus. Local media
outlets reported that the FBI is investigating the case as a
hate crime.
In Houston, a city known for its diversity and tolerance, a
woman verbally attacked the owner of the Vietnamese
restaurant Vietopia earlier this month in a parking lot in
front of the business, screaming expletives and, ``You, get
out of our country.''
``I felt unwanted here. We were very offended,'' said Sammi
Tran, co-owner and wife of the victim, who videotaped the
incident. ``My husband was born here in America. We don't
harm anybody, but this is happening now. I've never felt like
this before.''
``We go to the supermarket and they look at us as if we
were ugly people,'' Tran said.
`Racism Is Contagious'
At over half a million people, Asians make up 8 percent of
the population in the Houston metro area. Residents with
Chinese heritage represent the third largest subgroup after
Indian and Vietnamese. Roughly 70 percent of Asians in the
city are U.S. born or naturalized citizens, according to the
U.S. Census Bureau.
Statewide, about 1.5 million residents identify as Asians,
or 5.2 percent of the population.
In Houston's Chinatown, the novel coronavirus hit
businesses hard in January, well before residents were
ordered to stay at home. Rumors spread on social media
falsely claiming that an Asian supermarket in the area was
shut down by the government due to coronavirus infections.
Although there wasn't a single COVID-19 case in the state
at the time, the rumors quickly propelled a fear of contagion
and customers avoided the area, driving losses that reached
70 percent overnight for many Asian American businesses.
Not long afterward, President Donald Trump called the agent
of the pandemic ``the Chinese virus,'' stirring outrage and
concern among Asian Americans.
``The community feels under siege. There is a genuine,
palpable sense of fear in the Asian American community, they
feel that they're being targeted,'' said Texas Representative
Gene Wu, a Democrat from Houston. ``And this is not a
Democratic or Republican issue. I've heard this from
Democratic and Republican'' Asians.
Trump recently said he was not going to use ``Chinese
virus'' anymore, but some of his supporters do.
``China poisoned our people. President Trump has the
courage to call it as it is: The Chinese Virus,'' the
narrator's voice says over a sinister music clip in a
campaign ad currently running on local television stations
for Kathaleen Wall, who is in the GOP runoff for the 22nd
District of Texas, representing the Sugar Land area.
Asked if she didn't consider that her ad could negatively
impact Asian Americans, she answered in an email: ``Leave it
to Texas Democrats like Sri Preston Kulkarni to defend the
Chinese Communist Party while ten thousand Americans have
died because of the Coronavirus.'' Kulkarni is the Democratic
candidate running in the November general election for
District 22.
Wea H. Lee, chairman of the Asian Southern News Group and
the business organization International Trade Center in
Houston, said attempts to diminish Asian people and their
cultures overlook their success and integration in the
country, such as having higher levels of income and education
than the U.S. population overall.
``These politicians, the people making this kind of
statement, it's so stupid, they are so nave that they don't
see really what our community looks like,' said Lee.
The Anti Defamation League warns that online forums and
posts, some from white supremacist groups, are ridiculing
Chinese people in relation to COVID-19 and portraying them as
a dirty culture.
A national campaign called ``Racism Is Contagious'' is
using data to raise awareness about the issue and collect
reports of abuses. It shows photos of Asians wearing a mask
with the message ``I am not a Virus,'' which has become a
viral hashtag.

Invisible stories

For many Chinese Americans, the real story buried under the
vitriolic noise is that their network of connections with
China, Asian doctors and business people is precisely what
has helped them help others during the coronavirus crisis.
The North Houston Chinese American community, for example,
acquired part of its donation of masks and medical supplies
to local healthcare providers via their connections in China,
said Yanbo Wang, one of the organizers. They raised over
$14,000 in donations from 98 families and have helped seven
nonprofit health providers and organizations.
``We paid for shipments to bring masks that people in China
donated to us,'' said Wang. The shipment arrived right when
those supplies were difficult to find.
Similarly, The Pearland Chinese Association collected and
donated masks and other products from many Asian Americans
who bought them earlier in the year. Hearing from their
families in China about the epidemic gave them an edge to
prepare and acquire products before the pandemic was well
known in America.
Jie Wu, a board member of the association, said many Asian
Americans who work in the Texas Medical Center also let them
know early about concerns with medical supplies. She said
they mobilized and raised thousands of dollars plus masks,
gloves and protective gowns, in what the organization calls
``The Love for the Community Initiative.''
Masks were collected among school parents, many of whom
worry that the stigma can hurt Asian American children born
in the U.S. Some reports nationwide have already pointed to
hateful incidents against minors.
Coco Ma, the co-founder of #SnacksForMedStaff initiative,
is also concerned about the stereotyping.
``But I also want people to understand that I wanted to
start the campaign not to prove who I am (and that) people
should not get mad at me'' as an Asian person, said Ma. ``We
Asians are doing this because we care.''
The idea of sending food to medical teams working in
hospitals with COVID-19 cases came to Ma while talking on the
phone with her mother, who is an administrator at a hospital
in China dealing with the pandemic. Initially, she sent
snacks to a few healthcare providers, but the initiative grew
with people sending her money for a GoFundMe campaign.
Ma, a Houston resident, and her classmate and program
partner Kathleen Harcourt,

[[Page H4506]]

who is Asian American, have now created a website to make all
the #SnacksForMedStaff activities transparent to donors. They
have raised around $12,000 of a $20,000 goal and have sent
food packages to hospital teams in Texas and other four
states among the hardest hit by the pandemic.
``We are getting very good feedback from doctors,'' Ma
said. ``They feel appreciated.''
As the coronavirus is soon expected to peak locally, adding
pressure to medical teams, Ma said her initiative will raise
the funding goal and provide more packages.
``People are so polarized,'' said Ma. ``Forget about
politics, especially during this pandemic. Forget about race.
Focus on what is the problem and coming up with a solution.
This is about humanity first.''

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I support this legislation because we
have to stand to cure, to fix COVID-19, not to stigmatize and destroy
the opportunity of saving America and doing the right thing by science.
Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary and Homeland
Security Committees, and the Budget Committee, I rise in strong support
of H. Res. 908, which condemns anti-Asian sentiment in all its forms
and manifestations, from whatever quarter, and from whomever, from the
ordinary citizen up to and including the President of the United
States.
Since January 2020, there has been a dramatic increase in reports of
hate crimes and incidents against those of Asian descent and the danger
accelerates as the number of deaths attributable to COVID-19, which
currently stands at 197,000, continues to increase and is expected to
exceed 250,000 by Election Day on November 3, 2020. The use of anti-
Asian terminology and rhetoric related to COVID-19, such as the
``Chinese Virus'', ``Wuhan Virus'', and ``Kung-flu'' have perpetuated
anti-Asian stigma and is reminiscent of dark and shameful chapters in
America's past where Asian-Americans were escaped as the ``yellow
peril'' and interned in relocation camps.
Madam Speaker, more than 23,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders account for 7 percent of the Nation's population in the
United States and over 2,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
are working on the frontlines of this COVID-19 pandemic in health care,
law enforcement, first responders, transportation, supermarkets, and
other service industries. Madam Speaker, there are approximately 2
million Asian American owned businesses that generate over $700 billion
in annual revenue and employ nearly 4.5 million workers.
According to a recent study, there were over 400 cases related to
COVID-19 anti-Asian discrimination just between February 9, 2020, and
March 7, 2020 with Asian Americans being harassed, assaulted, and
scapegoated for the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in March 2020,
anti-Asian woman wearing a mask was kicked and punched at a New York
City subway station; two children and two adults were stabbed at a
wholesale grocery in Midland, Texas; a couple was assaulted and robbed
by a group of attackers in Philadelphia; and a 16-year-old boy was sent
to the hospital after being attacked by bullies in Los Angeles,
California.
According to a report in the Houston Chronicle, during this pandemic
a different curve has emerged in the Harris County metroplex, one of
outward racism toward Asian Americans, where the increased use of anti-
Asian rhetoric has also resulted in Asian-American businesses being
targeted for vandalism.
Madam Speaker, the Secretary General of the United Nations called for
international solidarity and an end to any ill-founded discrimination
of the outbreak's victims. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) counsels against that
naming COVID-19 by its geographic location or linking it to a specific
ethnicity because such linkage perpetuates stigma. For this reason, in
2015, the WHO issued guidance calling on media outlets, scientists, and
national authorities to avoid naming infectious diseases for locations.
On February 27, 2020, the Secretary of Health and Human Services
stated ``ethnicity is not what causes the novel coronavirus'' and that
it is inappropriate and inaccurate to call COVID-19 the ``Chinese
virus.'' On February 28, 2020, Dr. Mitch Wolfe, the Chief Medical
Officer of the CDC said, ``Stigma is the enemy of public health'' and
on March 10, 2020, Dr. Robert Redfield, the Director of the CDC,
testified that use of the term ``Chinese coronavirus'' is wrong and
inappropriate.
So, I am proud to be an original cosponsor and to strongly support H.
Res. 908 introduced by my friend, the gentlelady from New York,
Congresswoman Meng. The resolution calls on all public officials to
condemn and denounce any and all anti-Asian sentiment in any form and
recognizes that the health and safety of all Americans, no matter their
background, must be of utmost priority. The resolution condemns all
manifestations of expressions of racism, xenophobia, discrimination,
anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance
and calls on Federal law enforcement officials, working with State and
local officials to expeditiously investigate and document all credible
reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against the Asian-
American community in the United States.
The resolution also calls upon federal, state, and local authorities
to so, collect data to document the rise of incidences of hate crimes
due to COVID-19; and to take action whenever appropriate to hold the
perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and
bring such perpetrators to justice. Finally, and importantly, H. Res.
908 recommits United States leadership in building more inclusive,
diverse, and tolerant communities and combatting misinformation and
discrimination that put Asian Americans at risk.
I urge all Members to join me in voting for H. Res. 908 and I thank
Congresswoman Meng for introducing this important resolution.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Virginia (Ms. Spanberger).
Ms. SPANBERGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res.
908. I rise today in support of my constituents of Asian descent.
Central Virginia is the proud home to a strong and vibrant Asian-
American community. And since COVID-19 began, we have seen a disturbing
increase in hate crimes directed at the Asian-American community across
the country, including in Virginia.
Our neighbors, our fellow Americans, should never be the victims of
discrimination, violence or derision. And today, I am proud to stand
with them and support this resolution on the floor of the House.
We should all actively and forcefully condemn these acts of hate
directed at our friends and our neighbors, at home, across our
communities. And today, I am proud to do so with my vote on the floor
of the House. A vote that affirms the following:
That we call on public officials to condemn and denounce anti-Asian
sentiment;
That we recognize that the health and safety of all Americans of any
background should be our priority;
That we condemn the manifestation and the expression of racism,
xenophobia, and anti-Asian sentiment;
That we call on Federal law enforcement officials working with State
and local officials to expeditiously investigate hate crimes; and
That we recommit the United States' leadership to build a more
inclusive, tolerant society.
Madam Speaker, to my colleagues who agree with these principles, I
urge them to vote ``yes'' in support of this resolution and in support
of our neighbors. I, for one, will proudly vote ``yes.''
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the resolution for all the
reasons we have articulated here this morning. I think it is important
to go back and just remember, this is not about people of Asian-
American descent. This is not about the Chinese people.
It is about the Chinese Communist Party. It is about the Chinese
Government, a government that lied to us about the origins of this
virus, lied to the world, used the World Health Organization to
continue to mislead the United States and the world. That has been
where the criticism has been targeted by the President.
But, again, 7 weeks before an election, Democrats don't care about
the facts. They care about attacking the President, calling his
supporters, as the Speaker of this House did, ``enemies of the state,''
bringing a resolution to the floor of this nature, but not being
willing to condemn the violence and the mobs in the streets of our
cities and certain places for over 100 days straight, looting and
violence and rioting and attacks on our law enforcement officers. Nope,
can't. We can't bring a resolution. We can't talk about that. When the
Attorney General of the United States asked, the Democrat members of
the Committee on the Judiciary won't even speak up then.
Madam Speaker, I hope we defeat this resolution, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, this is an important resolution that will put the
House firmly on record against the insidious

[[Page H4507]]

form of racism and racial scapegoating that we have seen since the
COVID-19 pandemic began.
It is completely unacceptable to use derogatory and prejudicial
terms, like ``Chinese virus'' or ``Wuhan virus,'' as if they merely
describe the factual reality of where the novel coronavirus that causes
COVID-19 originated.
First, this logic does nothing to justify the use of the term ``kung
flu,'' another term often used by some to describe COVID-19, a term
clearly designed to mock Asians and to associate them unfairly with
this disease.
Madam Speaker, the need for this legislation is clear. I urge my
colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. MENG. Madam Speaker, as millions across our nation continue to be
impacted by the coronavirus, many continue to live in fear following
the dramatic increase of threats and attacks against those of Asian
descent since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Since January 2020, there has been a significant number of reports of
anti-Asian incidents; wherein, due to scapegoating Asian Americans for
the spread of COVID-19, many are being threatened, harassed, or
assaulted, or have had their businesses vandalized. The upsurge of
racial discrimination against Asian Americans has been fueled by
misinformation about the coronavirus and usage of anti-Asian rhetoric
and terms like ``Chinese virus'' and ``Kung-flu.'' All of our nation's
leaders must stop using these racist phrases that instigate hatred and
violence. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, Asian Americans are left
fighting an additional front--that of hate and bigotry.
That is why I introduced a resolution condemning all forms of anti-
Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19. We, as leaders of this nation,
must coalesce and condemn all manifestations of expressions of racism,
xenophobia, discrimination, and anti-Asian sentiment and scapegoating.
We must denounce any and all anti-Asian sentiment of any form.
Madam Speaker, during this time of heightened anxiety and fear
surrounding COVID-19, we cannot lose sight of protecting the health and
safety of every single person--no matter their race, ethnicity,
religion, or background. The House must take a strong stand against the
sickening intolerance, bigotry, and violence that is leaving a terrible
stain on our nation's history, especially during this moment of an
unprecedented public health crisis. The adoption of this resolution is
a necessary step to confront the second pandemic of racism and
discrimination in this country. I urge my colleagues to join me in this
effort to keep all Americans safe.
Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House
Resolution 908--Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related
to COVID-19. I praise my distinguished colleague, Congresswoman Grace
Meng, First Vice-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American
Caucus (CAPAC), for her exemplary leadership on this Resolution on
behalf of Asian-Americans and Asian and Pacific Islander communities
all over the world.
With this Resolution, I am reminded of the talented and brave Asians
and Asian-Americans who have helped lead us through COVID-19. I think
of my district's University of Toledo Medical Center's molecular
specialist, Dr. Ji-Youn Yeo, Ph.D., a Postdoctoral Fellow of South
Korean descent. Dr. Yeo's expertise helped the Center's coronavirus
pathology lab modify its test to keep employees safe during the testing
process. First Lady of Maryland, Yumi Hogan, was instrumental in
obtaining 500,000 testing kits for Maryland by working with the South
Korean Ambassador to the United States, Lee Soo Hyuk. The people of
South Korea were able to minimize the devastation of COVID-19 on its
own shores and became an example to the world by implementing lessons
and procedures learned from its MERS outbreak. These efforts are a
significant representation of how Asian communities are helping to
combat the corona virus.
To incite anti-Asian sentiments through racism, discrimination, or
religious intolerance, especially related to COVID-19, is an insult to
the very people who have helped shape our country. At this difficult
time as we experience a resurgence of this troubling discrimination, I
am reminded of my trailblazing colleagues as they continue the fight
against discrimination, and through their efforts, are making our
nation a fairer and more just society. One such trailblazer is the
distinguished Chairwoman of CAPAC, Congresswoman Judy Chu, the first
Chinese American woman elected to the United States Congress. She has
served with great dignity and has been a fierce leader and advocate for
Asian Americans. Former Congressman and CAPAC Chair Emeritus, Mike
Honda, a statesman who was forced into a Japanese internment camp with
his family in Colorado and then thrived to become a Member of the
United States House of Representatives. He experienced xenophobia
firsthand, and we heartfully thank him for teaching all those who face
oppression that they have the ability to overcome and achieve
remarkable things. I also recognize our distinguished Chairman of the
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Congressman Mark Takano. He is a
consummate educator and brave leader who became the first openly gay
person of color to serve in Congress. These are some of America's
finest patriots.
I had the honor and privilege to serve with Congress' first female
Member of color, Patsy Mink. A third generation Japanese American, she
achieved greatness through insurmountable barriers. A fighter for the
fundamental belief in equality, Mink co-authored Title IX to ensure
that no person, regardless of sex, could be excluded from any education
program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. She was
ahead of her time and laid a great foundation for Asian Americans and
women to follow. Congresswoman Meng's efforts today proudly honor her
memory.
To the current and past Asian American and Pacific Islander Members
of Congress, the current 74 bicameral members of the Congressional
Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the many Asian Americans who are
working every day to make sure America stands tall during COVID-19, I
salute them and their service to a grateful nation. I urge support for
H. Res. 908.
Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker. I rise today to
support H. Res. 908, which condemns all forms of anti-Asian sentiment
as related to COVID-19. Since the beginning of this pandemic, the Asian
American community in Philadelphia and nationwide has seen an alarming
surge in anti-Asian bigotry and in hate crimes. There is no doubt that
COVID-19 has resulted in the spread of hate, racism, and xenophobia
toward the Asian American community.
As you may already know, the FBI warned at the end of March that they
expected to see hate crime incidents against Asian Americans to
increase suddenly as the general public associated the coronavirus with
the Asian American population. At its peak, there were nearly 100 hate
incidents being reported each day. Yet, the President and his
Administration failed to address this and fueled this misconception
with their rhetoric.
Madam Speaker, words matter. This widespread racism against Asian
Americans during this public health crisis is a serious and destructive
issue that negatively impacts the lives of millions in our nation.
Congress has a duty to address the ongoing anti-Asian sentiment and
break the silence, raise awareness, and change the public perception
surrounding it.
In my hometown of Philadelphia, we have witnessed far too many hate
crimes. Back in February, a young man and woman were physically
assaulted by a group of juveniles at a SEPTA station in what appeared
to be a racially motivated anti-Asian attack. In March, several Asian
American homes were harassed through letters. Later in April, an Asian
American-owned restaurant in my Congressional district was vandalized
with spray-paint graffiti that included a racial slur. Just last month,
an Asian American pregnant mother was attacked on the streets by
someone who deliberately mentioned her race during the attack.
The Asian American community has enriched the city of Philadelphia,
and our nation, and we must do more to protect them. The prejudice
against the Asian American community distracts us from finding real
solutions to the pandemic at a time when they are much needed.
Madam Speaker, now, more than ever, it is important to stand in
solidarity with the Asian American community. We cannot let the rise in
hateful rhetoric and discrimination go unchecked. We must work together
to build a more inclusive and diverse society, and this resolution is a
step toward achieving that. urge my colleagues to join me in supporting
this resolution to build on America's diversity, which has proven to be
one of our greatest strengths.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House
Resolution 908, which condemns the anti-Asian rhetoric that has arisen
because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Madam Speaker, our Asian friends,
neighbors and family members have been unfairly targeted by bigotry in
the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using terms like the ``China Virus''
and ``Kung Flu'' is offensive to the communities I represent in the
Lower East Side and Brooklyn. Our friends and neighbors in these
communities are essential workers and small business owners who
provided critical services to our community as the pandemic raged
across New York City, and continue to play an essential role in our
city's recovery from the virus. Unfortunately, New York City has seen a
spike in bias crimes. We cannot let hate crimes go unpunished, let
alone condone them.
As the resolution states, there are over 2 million Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders

[[Page H4508]]

working on the frontline combatting against the pandemic. We must stand
in solidarity with our friends and neighbors by denouncing the vitriol
and anti-Asian sentiment. Our response to this pandemic should have
been a unifying moment for our country. Instead, the administration has
actively sought to inflame racial tensions. Today, we say ``no more''
to the anti-Asian rhetoric from the White House. I am proud to
cosponsor this bill and I want to thank my colleague from New York
Representative Grace Meng, for her leadership on this issue and urge
all my colleagues to support its passage.
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this
resolution that condemns all forms of anti-Asian sentiment during this
COVID-19 pandemic. This public health crisis has caused significant
pain and suffering to communities across our nation, and we are
especially concerned about an apparent increase in verbal and physical
attacks, as well as discrimination, against Asian Americans.
Our society must clearly state that this xenophobia must not and will
not be accepted. Asian Americans are not responsible for the spread of
COVID-19, and yet they have been repeatedly harassed, discriminated,
and even attacked by some who wrongly believe they are at fault. There
are over two thousand reported incidences of coronavirus-related
discrimination by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council. We
must better protect our vulnerable communities during times of turmoil,
and it is even more egregious that many of these same victims are
simultaneously fighting this pandemic as doctors, nurses, and other
frontline providers.
Therefore, I am proud to support this resolution that explicitly
calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce all anti-Asian
sentiment in any form. Additionally, I am pleased that this legislation
recognizes that the health and safety of all Americans, no matter their
background, must be our utmost priority.
On behalf of the constituents of the 30th Congressional District of
Texas, I am proud to support this resolution condemning anti-Asian
sentiment during this pandemic, and I urge my colleagues to vote in
favor of this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1107, the previous question is ordered
on the resolution and the preamble.
The question is on the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution
965, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question
are postponed.

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