Washington, D.C. -Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, spoke on the House Floor in favor of 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.
Floor Statement of Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney
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.
May 18, 2021
I rise in support of H. Res. 275, condemning the horrific shootings that led to the tragic loss of 8 American lives in Atlanta, Georgia on March 16th. The people of the United States mourn the 8 innocent lives lost, 6 of whom were women of Asian descent, and several of whom were immigrants.
I want to thank Congresswoman Judy Chu for her leadership on this issue, and for introducing this important resolution.
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 shooting in Georgia was a wake-up call for the public to the reality the Asian American community is facing. Acts of violence like these demonstrate why we must always call out bigotry and hate - wherever and whenever we see 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 U.S. city. 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 8 lives in Georgia on March 16th. The resolution also condemns any racism and sexism that contributed to the shooter’s targeting of Asian-owned businesses and murder of 7 women, 6 of whom were women 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. 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.
I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.
