Last week the U.S. House of Representatives voted on legislation to condemn the rise in hate crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander community. Over the last year, disturbing headlines about violence, discrimination, and hateful incidents against Asian Americans have flashed across our screens. It is estimated that between March 2020 and March 2021, more than 6,000 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander hate crimes were recorded in the United States.
That’s why in February, the very first bill I introduced was a bipartisan resolution to condemn these crimes and encourage better coordination between state, local, and federal governments to track hate against the AAPI community. My resolution, H. Res. 153, is the only bipartisan legislation of its kind in the House. In addition to condemning hate crimes and hate incidents, it urges investigation of all anti-AAPI hate crimes and threats, recommends better reporting of these incidents, and urges swift prosecution of those found responsible for the crimes.
My bill has 19 co-sponsors, four of whom are Democrats. When my bill came to the House Floor, not one of my Democratic co-sponsors voted in favor of it, nor did it receive support from any other Democrat.
This week, the House passed two bills tackling AAPI hate crimes, both authored by Democrats. I was proud to vote for them because I believe we need to be united in combating hate. But I was deeply disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle do not share that belief.
I think our constituents would be disappointed to know just how partisan Congress really is. On an issue such as combating hate, we should be working together. Congress members had an opportunity to support another piece of legislation condemning the rise in hate crimes and violence against the AAPI community, and they chose partisan politics instead.
I would have welcomed the opportunity for partnership, and I would have thought that my colleagues would seek input from one of only two Republican Asian American women in the House. Combating hate is a nonpartisan issue. Our voices matter in this discussion.
Unfortunately, hate against the Asian American community is not new. I know this because I have experienced this type of discrimination and racism firsthand.
Before coming to Congress, I served on the California Board of Equalization and the Orange County Board of Supervisors. I love serving my community, and I am a proud American. I immigrated to this country after living in South Korea and Japan. English is my third language. I’m proud of my background and the life I’ve built in our incredible country. It’s my American dream.
I’ve been called racist slurs in public meetings. The comments have been terrible. But I keep my head down and continue doing the job that I was elected by the people to do.
As someone who loves this country dearly, I take this rise in violence against our community very seriously. I also know that one person, or one virus, is not to blame. Long before COVID-19, Asian Americans were the target of discrimination. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which prevented Chinese laborers from immigrating to the U.S. for 10 years. During World War II, the U.S. government forcibly interned hundreds of thousands of Japanese Americans in isolated internment camps. Attempts to pin blame are short-sighted and fail to acknowledge the long history of discrimination against Asian Americans.
We are all Americans, and we have an obligation to stand up for each other and speak out against hate. I hope that moving forward, we have an opportunity to hear from more AAPI voices and that we work together to put an end to hate.
Michelle Steel represents California’s 48th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
