[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 18, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2520-H2525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING THE HORRIFIC SHOOTINGS IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ON MARCH 16,
2021
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House
Resolution 403, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 275) condemning the
horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16, 2021, and
reaffirming the House of Representative's commitment to combating hate,
bigotry, and violence against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander
community, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 403, the
resolution is considered read.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 275
Whereas, on March 16, 2021, a shooter murdered 8 people and
injured 1 in the Atlanta, Georgia, region in 3 separate
shootings that took place at Asian-owned spas;
Whereas the people of the United States mourn the 8
innocent lives lost, 7 of whom were women, 6 of whom were
women of Asian descent, and several of whom were immigrants;
Whereas the victims included Xiaojie ``Emily'' Tan, Daoyou
Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Yong Ae Yue,
Soon Chung ``Julie'' Park, Hyun Jung Grant, and Sun Cha Kim;
Whereas 49-year-old Xiaojie ``Emily'' Tan, a hardworking
mother and the owner of 1 of the spas, was a dedicated and
caring business owner who is survived by her daughter and
husband;
Whereas 44-year-old Daoyou Feng was an employee who
recently began working at 1 of the spas;
Whereas 33-year-old Delaina Ashley Yaun, a newlywed and
mother of 2, was at 1 of the spas to receive a couple's
massage with her husband when her life was cut short;
Whereas 54-year-old Paul Andre Michels was a caring husband
and a United States Army veteran who did maintenance work for
1 of the spas and is survived by his wife;
Whereas 63-year-old Yong Ae Yue was a mother of 2 sons who
was known for her kindness and generosity and her love of her
pet Shih Tzu;
Whereas 74-year-old Soon Chung ``Julie'' Park was a mother
and grandmother who helped manage 1 of the spas and helped to
prepare meals for the employees;
Whereas 51-year-old Hyun Jung Grant was a former elementary
school teacher and hardworking single mother who dedicated
her whole life to raising her 2 sons;
Whereas 69-year-old Sun Cha Kim was a wife, mother, and
grandmother who enjoyed line dancing and had been married for
more than 50 years;
Whereas during an interview with the Cherokee County
Sheriff's Office, the suspect stated that the shootings were
not ``racially motivated'', but the investigation is still
ongoing and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of
classifying the attacks as a ``hate crime'';
Whereas the Georgia shooting came in the midst of an
alarming surge in anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents, which
has caused many Asian Americans across the United States to
feel fearful and unsafe;
Whereas the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric
related to COVID-19, such as the ``Chinese virus'', ``Wuhan
virus'', and ``kung flu'', has perpetuated anti-Asian stigma
that has resulted in Asian Americans being harassed,
assaulted, and scapegoated for the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas anti-Asian hate crimes increased by nearly 150
percent in major cities throughout the United States in 2020;
Whereas according to a recent report by Stop AAPI Hate,
there were nearly 3,800 reported cases of anti-Asian
discrimination related to COVID-19 between March 19, 2020, to
February 28, 2021;
Whereas 68 percent of reported incidents of anti-Asian hate
targeted Asian-American women, a population that has been
historically marginalized, sexualized, and fetishized;
Whereas, on March 19, 2021, President Joe Biden and Vice
President Kamala Harris met with Asian-American leaders in
Georgia and reaffirmed their strong commitment to condemn and
combat racism, xenophobia, and violence targeting the Asian-
American community; and
Whereas the people of the United States will always
remember the victims of these shootings and stand in
solidarity with those affected by this senseless tragedy:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns the heinous and inexcusable acts of gun
violence that led to the tragic loss of 8 lives in Georgia on
March 16, 2021;
(2) condemns any racism and sexism in the choice of the
shooter to target Asian-owned businesses and murder 7 women,
6 of whom were of Asian descent;
(3) honors the memory of the victims, offers heartfelt
condolences to their families, and recognizes that the
healing process will be long and difficult for the Asian-
American and Pacific Islander community and all communities
impacted by this tragedy; and
(4) reaffirms the commitment of the United States Federal
Government to combat hate, bigotry, and violence against
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to prevent
tragedies like this from ever happening again.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The resolution shall be debatable for 1 hour
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member
of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.
The gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Fallon) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognize the gentlewoman from New York.
General Leave
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and
extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials on H. Res. 275.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself
such time as I may consume.
[[Page H2521]]
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 275, condemning the
horrific shootings that led to the tragic loss of eight American lives
in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16. The people of the United States mourn
the eight innocent lives lost, six of whom were women of Asian descent,
and several of whom were immigrants.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman Judy Chu for her
leadership on this issue and for introducing this important
legislation.
Over the past year, Asian-Americans have been attacked and harassed
because of misinformation and xenophobia that wrongly blamed them for
the coronavirus pandemic. And, sadly, incidents of violence against
Asian-Americans are on the rise across our country.
The heinous shootings in Georgia was a wake-up call for the public to
the reality the Asian-American community is facing each and every day.
Acts of violence like these demonstrate why we must always call out
bigotry and hate whenever or wherever we see it. We must all speak out
against it.
In New York City, the number of anti-Asian hate crimes reported to
the police increased by 833 percent last year, the most out of any
major city in America. This is simply unacceptable. By voting to pass
this resolution, the House of Representatives will clearly state our
condemnation of the heinous and inexcusable acts of gun violence that
led to the tragic loss of eight lives in Georgia on March 16.
The resolution also condemns any racism and sexism that contributed
to the shooter's targeting of the Asian-owned businesses and murder of
seven women, six of whom were of Asian descent.
This resolution honors the memory of the victims and the loved ones
they leave behind. The healing process will be long and difficult for
the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, and all communities
impacted by this tragedy.
{time} 1830
Importantly, the resolution affirms the commitment of the Federal
Government to combat hate, bigotry, and violence against Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders, and to prevent tragedies like this in
the future, a commitment I hope all of my colleagues can agree on.
I am proud to stand in solidarity with the Asian-American and
Pacific-Islander community in calling for an end to the targeted
attacks like the one we saw in Atlanta.
Madam Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, I urge all of my
colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, what happened on March 16, 2021, in Atlanta is a
senseless tragedy. It is an unconscionable act of irrational violence.
We grieve with the victims' families, friends, and loved ones as they
now must cope with this tremendous loss.
Justice must prevail, and the perpetrator must be held to account for
these atrocious murders. That is why it is so very unfortunate that
this resolution that we are discussing and considering tonight on the
floor came on a rule when it wasn't even marked up in committee. I want
to talk about the process--both the committee process and due process.
Taking the former first, the committee process, I have only spent 4
months here in Washington serving this august Chamber, but I did serve
8 years in the Texas legislature. What I noticed was nearly all
legislation becomes better when it goes through the committee process.
So if this issue was so important, as my friends on the other side of
the aisle state--and it should be, it is very important--then Members
would have been allowed to offer amendments through the proper
committee process, which might have, and most likely would have,
greatly improved this resolution as it comes to the floor today and
helped garner broader support.
Our aim should be to send the strongest message possible to the
American people that all bigotry is to be condemned and not tolerated.
We are the most diverse nation on the face of the Earth, and our
diversity is our strength. We value the priceless contribution of our
American brothers and sisters of Asian descent, and that should be the
point, not to make this resolution unnecessarily partisan and
eventually become specious political talking points.
To the latter point, due process, this resolution threatens the rule
of law by assuming facts in an individual case that have yet to be
proven. There is no question that the shootings in Atlanta were
horrific, but their motivation has yet to be determined under law.
While all illegal violence will and should be roundly and justifiably
condemned, it is inappropriate for the House of Representatives to
opine on the facts of an individual case when those facts will be
decided by an impaneled jury, a jury that will hear all that evidence.
A jury should not be pressured into deciding the facts one way or the
other based on political spin and partisan pressure directed by this
Chamber.
Do my colleagues on the other side of the aisle understand how this
resolution could damage the ideal of legal due process by putting forth
an assertion of facts before our justice system has had the ability to
function?
The trial for this tragedy in Atlanta isn't over. In fact, it hasn't
even started yet. This resolution sets a dangerous precedent at this
time the way it is written. It is a possibly reckless path to embark
down for such an important legislative body as the United States House
of Representatives.
While this resolution threatens some political theater, it is
remarkable also for what it seems to be conveniently omitting from this
resolution addressing anti-Asian bias.
House Democrats have left out the many ongoing and high-profile
lawsuits filed by Asian Americans alleging anti-Asian discrimination in
schools' and universities' admissions policies.
So why would our friends across the aisle ignore these allegations in
this resolution?
At the same time, this resolution includes the strange statement that
references the Wuhan virus as anti-Asian. There are other elements that
are clearly anti-Asian that are in this resolution, and should be. But
the Wuhan virus is where this virus originated.
Historically, viruses are often named for their place of origin. A
case in point is the West Nile virus. It wasn't in Montana. It was in
the West Nile district of Uganda.
Zika was named after the Zika Forest in Uganda. Ebola was named after
the Ebola River in Zaire, in central Africa.
Here in America, we have the Rocky Mountain spotted fever named after
a big mountain chain in the West. A disease in my native New England,
Lyme disease, was found in Old Lyme, Connecticut.
So is that going to be geographically prejudiced?
Of course not.
There are no resolutions condemning the use of the words Ebola, Zika,
or West Nile. So not only have we not seen resolutions condemning these
names, they have also been embodied in the United States Code many
times in reference to the very diseases being combated. It is just
descriptive. It is not insulting by any stretch.
I could go on, but I think the point is made.
We should be more cautious in this legislative body with the
statements we pass as certainty and the procedural precedents we set
forth in the context of the judicial system. We should be focused on
allowing the due process to play out with justice served, and continue
to condemn vile and evil acts of violence against all Americans.
We should say this to our brothers and sisters of Asian descent: We
appreciate you, we respect you, we love you, and we grieve with you.
When you break down Americans demographically, Asian Americans are a
successful group in our country. Asian Americans, in their journey,
epitomize the promise of America.
I thought it was interesting, the U.S. Census Bureau in 2019, the
median household income for Asian Americans was $98,174 compared to,
for all Americans, $68,703. That is 43 percent higher.
The history of the Asian-American journey is one of prosperity, hope,
and promise fulfilled. Our Asian-American brothers and sisters should
be congratulated, admired, and emulated.
Our hearts go out to the families of the victims.
[[Page H2522]]
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes
to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu), who is the chairwoman of
the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and sponsor of this
important resolution.
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my
resolution, H. Res. 275, to condemn the horrific shootings in Georgia
and to reaffirm the House of Representatives' strong commitment to
combating anti-Asian hate, bigotry, and violence.
As we commemorate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
this May, the Asian-American and Pacific-Islander community continues
to be terrified by the alarming rise in anti-Asian hate and violence
that have become near daily tragedies.
The bigotry and xenophobia were fueled by former President Donald
Trump and his followers, who used racial slurs like China virus, Wuhan
virus, and Kung flu to direct blame and anger at innocent Asian
Americans, who have put lives at risk despite the fact that the CDC and
World Health Organization said not to name a virus after geographical
locations because of the stigma it would cause.
In fact, to date, there have been over 6,600 anti-Asian hate
incidents reported in just the past year alone, and two-thirds of those
have targeted Asian women.
In March, the fear that many Asian Americans were feeling reached a
crisis point when a gunman targeted three Asian-owned spas in Georgia,
killing eight people, including six Asian women. This killer, so
motivated by hate, intentionally sought out Asian immigrant women.
In response, I organized a congressional delegation to Atlanta to
meet with the victims' families, as well as local AAPI leaders. We went
there with a purpose: to follow the murderer's steps to show how
deliberate he was in targeting three Asian-owned businesses that were
nearly 30 miles apart from each other.
Local sheriffs have tried to diminish these crimes by saying that the
shooter had a sex addiction and a bad day. But he had plenty of other
places to go in that time. Instead, he chose three places where Asian
women would be killed.
There is no doubt in my mind that this was a hate crime. That is why
I am glad that Georgia prosecutors announced last week they will be
seeking enhanced hate crime charges against the murderer.
The victims of these tragic shootings were hardworking mothers and
grandmothers, many in their fifties, sixties, and as old as 74. I met
with the families of two of these women.
Xiaojie Tan was the owner of one of the spas and a mother, who worked
7 days a week to provide for her family. Her daughter, Jami, spoke to
us through tears about how unfair it was that her mother's life was cut
short on her 50th birthday.
Then there was Young Ae Yue, whose son, Robert, told me about his
mother and how she adored her children and loved being a Har Mul Ni, or
grandmother. She would share her love through cooking and karaoke. But
amid his pain, Robert was angry, too--angry that it happened, angry at
a narrative that tried to justify it by victim blaming, and angry that
people moved on so quickly.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield an
additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California.
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, we will not move on, and that is what today's
resolution is about. We must remember Young Ae Yue, Xiaojie Tan, and
other victims of these horrific shootings in Georgia. We must stand up
for all of those who have been terrorized by anti-Asian hate and
violence.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the
resolution.
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Arrington).
Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I thank my fellow Texan, Representative
Fallon, for the opportunity to speak.
To my colleague, Judy Chu, I have enjoyed working with her and
serving with her on the Ways and Means Committee, and I have respect
for her.
Let me be clear, Madam Speaker, the Atlanta shootings were
heartbreaking and absolutely unconscionable. I condemn, as I imagine
all of my colleagues do, all hate and all violence against any person
for any reason. I mourn for all Americans who have lost their lives to
any senseless act of violence.
Today, my colleagues have brought forth a resolution that I believe
is laced with political jabs and unsubstantiated assertions about
labeling a virus by its geographical origin.
To say that the term ``Wuhan virus'' drove this individual to commit
unthinkable crimes is both premature and illogical, and it needlessly
politicizes this horrible tragedy. It is inappropriate, and I believe
it is unwise, for Congress to presume a motive in the middle of an
ongoing investigation.
For the sake of our country, we must stop politicizing heinous acts
of violence committed by sick, evil individuals. We must stop making
claims that supersede and ignore personal responsibility. When an
individual commits a crime, they are responsible for that crime, and
our judicial system is there to ensure that the individual is held
accountable and brought to swift and certain justice.
Again, I mourn for the lives lost in Georgia, but today's resolution
does not strike me as simply and only a sincere attempt to highlight
injustice or to condemn hate crimes. It reeks, Madam Speaker, of
scoring political points. That is my read.
It seems to be a veiled criticism of President Trump. It is needless
and more divisive identity politics. We definitely don't need more of
that in this country. I think it is political opportunism. So I
encourage my Democrat colleagues and my Republican colleagues to reject
this and to vote ``no'' for those reasons.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes
to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mfume), who is a distinguished
member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Mr. MFUME. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California,
Ms. Chu, for bringing us to this point.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 275, condemning the
horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16, 2021, and
reaffirming this body's commitment to combating hate, combating
bigotry, and combating violence against the Asian-American community
and the Asia-Pacific Islander community.
{time} 1845
It is consistent with this body's approach to racism that has
affected African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans.
Madam Speaker, I am a bit lost at some of the comments that I have
listened to because, on the other side of the House, someone mentioned
that this has everything to do with the trial. This has nothing to do
with the trial. This has to do with those innocent people who were
murdered. The trial never came up.
This has nothing to do with trying to point fingers. This is about
people who got up that day with families and all died because they
happened to be in a certain place at a certain time.
Sometimes when I listen to that, I say to myself: Well, you really
don't understand. You really don't understand. Maybe it is nice to be
born male and White when no one has ever attacked you because of your
skin color, because of your heritage, because you are male.
I just repudiate all of that. It sickens me to see the level of
violence being perpetrated against Asian Americans who represent our
friends. They are our neighbors. They are our fellow Americans, our
coworkers.
Over 600 cases have dotted the news throughout this Nation in just
the first few months of this year, with two-thirds of those cases being
against Asian-American women, where they were kicked, and they were
beaten, and they were stabbed, and they were hit with bricks.
Doesn't that sicken us to the point that we really want to just
condemn this, as we should?
In an era of smaller vision, rampant apathy, and celebrated
mediocrity, we desperately need those who will stand
[[Page H2523]]
up for that which is right and to fight like hell against that which is
wrong. I urge passage of this resolution.
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
My colleague just mentioned that it must be nice to be born male and
White. I was born both, and I didn't choose it. That is the way it
happened. And then he went on to say: Must be nice that no one has ever
attacked you because you are male and White.
That is an interesting comment because I have a dear friend who was
beaten to within an inch of his life in a section of town that was
right outside of Duke University, and he was beaten primarily because
he didn't ``belong in that neighborhood.'' And do you know who is at
fault for that? The very people who beat him. No one else.
Unfortunately, hate occasionally fills all hearts, regardless of
someone's shape, size, or shade.
And that comment in and of itself was divisive. On this solemn
occasion, when we are discussing condemning hate, I just find that
unfortunate and disturbing, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes
to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson), a distinguished member of
the Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for
yielding me the time.
Madam Speaker, today, I rise in support of H. Res. 275, which is
legislation introduced by my friend, Congresswoman Judy Chu, which puts
the House on record condemning the racist shootings in Atlanta.
That is what it does. That is all it does, plain and simple. There
are no politics, no hidden meanings, no digs at ex-President Donald
Trump. That has nothing to do with it. It is just putting Congress on
record condemning the racist shootings in Atlanta.
Atlanta and the South are no strangers to White folks utilizing
violence to terrorize and harm communities of color, but even though
the cities past and present are marred by white supremacy, Atlanta is
also a city too busy to hate. It is a city that continues to be a
catalyst for progress and triumph.
Madam Speaker, it is a hotbed in the South for justice. The city's
heart bled for the victims killed on March 16, but that heart did not
stop beating.
Last summer, we marched for Black lives. Today, I stand for my Asian
brothers and sisters, calling for a stop, an end to Asian hate.
I thank Representative Chu for her leadership, and I am proud to
support this commonsense, straightforward legislation. I urge as
strongly as I can, with as much moral clarity as I can, every Member of
this body, both on the other side of the aisle and also on this side of
the aisle, to support this legislation.
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes
to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), a distinguished member
of the Oversight and Reform Committee and the chairman of the
Government Operations Subcommittee.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for her
leadership.
I also want to salute our colleague, Congresswoman Chu, for her
persistent advocacy and her moral clarity on the subject we address
today.
I commend the House for passing the resolution to condemn the
horrific shootings in Atlanta on March 16 and to reaffirm the House's
commitment to combating hate, bigotry, and violence against the AAPI
community.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen racist
sentiment, discrimination, and hate crimes targeting Asian Americans
skyrocket to alarming levels. Members of the AAPI community have been
calling out for help for over a year now. They should not have to live
in fear of facing discrimination, hate, or violence while walking in
their neighborhood, going to the grocery store, or going to work.
Since the pandemic's outbreak, there was a 1,900 percent increase in
violence against this community in 2020 alone and a 150 percent
increase in hate crimes against AAPIs in America's major cities.
There were 3,800 reported cases of Asian-American discrimination
related to COVID-19 over the past year, 68 percent of which targeted
Asian-American women. Three in five Asian Americans have experienced
discrimination during the pandemic.
Let me be clear: These events do not occur in a vacuum. America has a
dark history of vilifying minorities, including targeting the Asian-
American and Pacific Islander community, in particular, and using
Federal law to enable that discrimination and even violence.
Look no further than the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, the first
Federal law to bar an entire group of people from immigrating purely
based on their race, and the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942.
No one should feel unsafe in America ever. We all play a role in
stopping the spread of violence and racism against the AAPI community.
Solidarity is greater than racism. Today, we are all Asian Americans.
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague that no one, no
American, should live in fear, Asian American, African American,
European American, Hispanic American, or otherwise. No one. Because if
you are not safe, then you are not free.
That is what we are here for, to guarantee equal protection under the
law. Safety and freedom are our most solemn tasks while serving in this
Chamber.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes
to the distinguished gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), a co-
leader of this resolution.
Mrs. McBATH. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bicameral
resolution denouncing anti-Asian hate, and I offer once again my
deepest condolences to the families that have suffered these hate
tragedies.
I thank Representative Chu for this very critical and timely
legislation.
Too often, we have seen hate and discrimination turn to violence and
terror, and we must reaffirm again our commitment to stand against all
forms of bigotry and hatred. Racism simply has no place in our
communities in this Nation.
As I travel across Georgia's Sixth District, I am very privileged to
interact with so many members of the Asian-American community. They are
our small business owners, teachers, doctors, electricians,
contractors, and financial analysts.
I actually had the opportunity to spend time with one of the families
who had suffered one of these tragedies there in Atlanta, I believe
within the Chair's district. I can tell you the profound pain that
emanated from them and that grief, and I understand that completely.
We have to remember that we are all made stronger by the community
that surrounds us, who lifts us up in time of need, and who makes our
home the best place to live and raise a family, and that is right here
in the United States of America. We must never lose sight of the power
of walking in each other's shoes. And, yes, I have walked in these
families' shoes.
We must never lose sight of understanding the path that others have
traveled and of celebrating the wonderful differences that we all bring
to this great Nation today.
We again stand with our friends and our neighbors in the Asian-
American community to denounce hate and to work together toward a
future filled with love, acceptance, and faith for a brighter world.
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes
to the distinguished gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Bourdeaux), co-
leader of this resolution.
Ms. BOURDEAUX. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Maloney for
yielding.
Across our country, the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community
has felt deeply under attack. Over the past year, xenophobic political
leaders used dangerous rhetoric to stir up hatred against many
immigrant communities, including the Asian-American community during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Soon, words became action, and on March 16, 2021, the Atlanta area
saw
[[Page H2524]]
the tragic and, in some ways, inevitable result when eight lives were
taken from us.
The victims of this attack included mothers and grandmothers, fathers
and sons, teachers and veterans. These are lives that cannot be
restored, leaving pain that cannot be forgotten.
Today, we honor their memories. Tomorrow, the House will vote on a
bipartisan and bicameral resolution that I coauthored with Chair Judy
Chu of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. It calls on
Congress to affirm our commitment to combat hate and bigotry against
the AAPI community and condemns the hateful actions taken in Atlanta.
It is a step in the right direction, but only a step. America is and
has always been a nation of immigrants, a fact that deserves to be
celebrated. I proudly represent one of the most diverse districts in
the Nation, with about a quarter of my constituents having been born in
another country.
When one group of Americans is hurting, we are all hurting. Watching
my son grow up in our diverse community reminds me that none of us are
born with hatred in our hearts. Rather, it is something that is taught.
As we vote today, let's teach compassion, let's teach acceptance,
let's teach empathy. I rise in support of this resolution.
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1900
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), a distinguished member of the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank Ms. Chu for her diligence
and her persistence in getting this done.
This is a moment for sober reflection. This is a time for us to
understand that there is a lot of pain in the Asian-American community.
There are people who are suffering, and it gives us an opportunity
now to let them know that they are not alone, to let them know that
liberty and justice for all applies to them, to let them know that we
will stand against the hate as we stand with them. It is a time for
sober reflection.
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I will close with a statement of principle that no
House resolution can come close to matching in its compelling moral
clarity. It is the statement of one of the greatest Americans who ever
lived, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I will be honest, it gave me goose bumps as a child and it gives me
goose bumps every time I hear it or if I say it.
To quote this great man: ``I have a dream my four little children
will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the
color of their skin, but by the content of their character.''
Asian Americans certainly have demonstrated great character with
their numerous and countless contributions to this American experiment.
We all mourn the victims of this attack, including the family members
and community they leave behind.
I join my colleagues in seeking the fullest expression of justice
that our system is designed to deliver.
That gets back to culture, the culture of this Chamber. Sometimes you
hear from the mouth of babes. Well, I am a rookie and a freshman. I
have only been here 4 months. This is the most hyperpartisan
legislative body in this country, and it is awful. I am not saying that
my party may not have done something similar in the past. I don't know;
I wasn't here.
I served in the Texas Legislature, both the House and the Senate, and
I was very proud of the fact that almost 99 percent of the things we
passed in that body had at least some bipartisan support because we
worked together, for the betterment of our State, to make Texas better.
Why can't we do that here, for the betterment of our country?
Not everything has to be partisan. I know it is now, but it doesn't
have to be. We need to work together to change that culture.
I am a back-benching freshman. I don't have a lot of say. My voice
isn't really heard here yet. That is okay. But if there is ever a day
where it is, I pledge to do everything I can to work, when possible, on
a bipartisan basis because it is better for this country.
We don't always have to score cheap political points, looking down
the road for the next fundraiser or the next election. We can really do
what is best for the country. Not red America, not blue America.
America.
We had that opportunity here with this resolution. It could have been
written if we had the committee process. The minority party could have
contributed to it. We could have worked together on it. We could have
pretty much guaranteed a 435-to-nothing vote. Because, at the end of
the day, what I can recall in the Rules Committee was talking about
sending a strong message that hate will not be tolerated, bigotry will
not be tolerated.
Yes, this country has had an ugly past. It disgusts me. But when you
are raised the right way, you see it for what it is: evil,
unacceptable.
We are the greatest country history has ever known. By working
together, we can ensure that our children and their children enjoy the
fruits and the benefits and the labor and the bounty of this country. I
wish that were the case with this resolution, because it could have
been.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself
the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleagues, Representative
Chu, Representative McBath, and Representative Bourdeaux, for their
thoughtful and important resolution.
The House of Representatives must take a stand against anti-Asian
bigotry and hate, and condemn the terrible shootings in Atlanta.
H. Res. 275 does just that. I urge every Member on both sides of the
aisle to support this resolution.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, millions of people here and
around the globe were shocked to learn of the shootings at three
Atlanta spas last March that killed eight people and injured one. Six
of the eight victims were of Asian descent.
Many of us saw a link between the discriminatory and often hateful
rhetoric against the Asian-American community during the COVID-19
pandemic and this unspeakable act of violence. In fact, the last year
has seen an unacceptable rise in anti-Asian racism and violent attacks,
especially against the elderly. There are many such incidents across
the nation that are said to be unreported as well.
As the Dean of the Georgia Delegation, I strongly condemn these
heinous acts of violence against our Asian-American brothers and
sisters. They have no place in Georgia or anywhere else in our nation
for that matter.
I therefore urge my colleagues to support not only this important
resolution to condemn this act of violence and to remember the lives
that were so tragically taken from us last March in Atlanta. I also
urge them to support the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to bolster
the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes in the United States.
Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, we cannot countenance the culture of hate
in our nation that leads to Asian and Pacific Islander Americans being
harassed, assaulted, and scapegoated for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hateful rhetoric has deadly consequences. Xiaojie ``Emily'' Tan,
Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Paul Andre Michels, Yong Ae
Yue, Soon Chung ``Julie'' Park, Hyun Jung Grant, and Suncha Kim were
forever taken from their families on March 16 in a shooting fueled by
this racist hate.
These eight victims deserve swift justice for the heinous and
inexcusable act of gun violence that ended their lives.
But all Asian and Pacific Islander Americans deserve for this
Congress to stand up, condemn the violence, and commit to ending hatred
and bigotry. That is why I am a cosponsor of H. Res. 275.
On behalf of the majority Asian/Pacific Islander community I
represent, I join my colleagues in expressing our condolences to the
families of the victims of the Atlanta shooting.
And I join all those voting for H. Res. 275 in affirming that crimes
of hate against Asians, Pacific Islanders, or any racial or ethnic
group have no place in America.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 403, 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
they ayes appeared to have it.
[[Page H2525]]
Mr. FALLON. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question
are postponed.
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