WASHINGTON (AP) � President Joe Biden has signed legislation intended to curtail a dramatic rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
At a White House ceremony, Biden expressed pride that lawmakers who seems to agree on little came together against hate and racism.
The House and Senate approved the bill by lopsided margins.
The new law will expedite Justice Department reviews of hate crimes by putting an official in charge of the effort. Grants will be available to help local law enforcement agencies improve their investigation, identification and reporting of bias-driven incidents, which often go underreported.
President Biden said, "My message to all of those who are hurting is, we see you. And the congress has said, we see you. And we are committed to stop the hatred and the bias."
Vice President Kamala Harris was also in attendance. She said, "This bill brings us one step closer to stopping hate, not only for Asian Americans, but for all Americans. It will expedite the justice department's review of hate crimes, every type of hate crime. It will designate an official at the department to oversee the effort. And it will expand efforts to make the reporting of hate crimes more accessible at the local and state levels."
