Biden signs COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act after surge in anti-Asian attacks

President Joe Biden signs the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on May 20, 2021. The law responds to a rise in anti-Asian hate incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic by directing the Justice Department to speed review of hate crimes and improve state and local reporting.\n\nThe bill also includes the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, which supports better hate-crime data collection and reporting. Congress.gov records show S.937 became Public Law 117-13 on the day Biden signed it.\n\nThe event belongs in the racism timeline because it shows Congress responding to racialized pandemic scapegoating and violence against Asian American communities.