Resolution calling on Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R. 908, condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19.
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Res. No. 1354 ..Title Resolution calling on Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R. 908, condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19. ..Body By Council Members Brannan and Gjonaj Whereas, SARS-CoV-2 is the virus known for causing the infectious disease known as COVID-19; and Whereas, The earliest known cases of COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China; and Whereas, The origin of the virus has led to increased xenophobia and discrimination against Asian-Americans; and Whereas, The use of anti-Asian terminology, such as referring to COVID-19 as the "Chinese virus" or "Kung Flu," has continued the scapegoating of Asian-Americans in an attempt to place blame on them for the spreading of the virus; and Whereas, New York City, in particular, has experienced a growth of anti-Asian sentiment manifesting through hateful rhetoric, and both physical and cyber harassment; and Whereas, New York City has seen a drastic increase in physical attacks against Asian-Americans which include Asian-Americans being pushed onto subway tracks, physically assaulted, spit on and in one case, doused in harmful chemicals leading the victim to flee to the emergency room with second degree burns; and Whereas, As of April 19th 2020, out of the 248 cases of discrimination and/or harassment reported to the New York City Commission on Civil and Human Rights ("CCHR"), 105 of them were against people of Asian descent; and Whereas, During the same period in 2019, there were only five anti-Asian discrimination complaints reported to CCHR; and Whereas, Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), introduced H.R. 908 in the U.S. House of Representatives, which denounces the anti-Asian sentiment caused by the outbreak of COVID-19; and Whereas, H.R. 908 highlights the increased anti-Asian sentiment on a national scale, and also specifically cites an incident that occurred in New York City where an Asian woman wearing a mask was kicked and punched at a subway station; and Whereas, Such discriminatory and violent behavior should not be tolerated, and should be openly addressed and denounced; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R. 908, condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19. LS #14602 5/28/2020 WD
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