H.R. 1843House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 12:13 AM UTC

The COVID‑19 Hate Crimes Act creates a fast‑track process for handling hate crimes linked to the pandemic. It directs the Attorney General to appoint a dedicated DOJ official to review such crimes and to work with law‑enforcement agencies. The law aims to improve reporting, data collection, and public education about hate crimes motivated by perceived connections to COVID‑19.

Key Provisions

Within 14 days of enactment, the Attorney General must assign a DOJ officer whose sole job is to speed up review of COVID‑19‑related hate crimes and share reports with federal, state, and local authorities.
Defines a “COVID‑19 hate crime” as violent crime motivated by a victim’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or other protected characteristic combined with a perceived link to the spread of COVID‑19.
Sets the review period to run until one year after the end of the COVID‑19 emergency period, with the option for the Attorney General to extend it.
Requires the Attorney General to issue guidance for state and local law‑enforcement on online, multilingual hate‑crime reporting, culturally competent public education, data collection, and best practices to avoid discriminatory language about the pandemic.

Legislative Activity

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4 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

May 18, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 11, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E235-236)

March 11, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

March 11, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

May 18, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

May 18, 2021

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 1843 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Anna G. EshooD-CA-18 · May 19, 2021

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 937, which brings perpetrators of recent hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community to justice, and H. Res. 275, which…

American history documents many dark periods of racism against the AAPI community. In 1854, the California Supreme Court ruled that Asian people were unfit to testify against White people in court. In 1871, seventeen Chinese men and boys were publicly lynched in Los Angeles. The convictions of the perpetrators were overturned and no one was punished. Starting in 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited immigration from China. In the 1940s, the U.S. military imprisoned tens of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II over unfounded fears of immigrants aiding the enemy, even though no spies were ever found. This is but a short list of horrific acts of anti-AAPI racism in our country's history.

Over the last year, there has been an exponential increase of anti- Asian rhetoric and hate crimes directed against the AAPI community. We had a president who placed blame on Asian Americans for the coronavirus, fanning the flames of intolerance and hatred. This intolerance is unAmerican and we cannot accept it.

Between March 19, 2020, and February 28, 2021, there were nearly 3,800 reported cases of anti-Asian discrimination related to COVID-19, with 68 percent of reported incidents of anti-Asian hate targeted toward Asian-American women. These include violent attacks on innocent Asian Americans, including the most vulnerable among us, like pregnant women, children, and the elderly.

We must fight this bigotry and prosecute perpetrators of hate crimes. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act does this by directing the DOJ to expedite review of hate crimes; strengthening hate crimes reporting by local, state, and Tribal agencies; and raising awareness about COVID-19- related hate crimes.

I'm proud to cosponsor H.R. 1843, the House companion to S. 937, and I thank Senator Mazie Hirono, Senator Tammy Duckworth, and Representative Grace Meng for their important leadership in authoring this critical legislation.

One of the worst instances of anti-AAPI hate occurred on March 16, 2021, when a shooter killed eight people at three Asian-owned spas in the greater Atlanta area. Six of the victims were Asian-American women. In H. Res. 275, the House mourns the victims of this horrific shooting, and I'm a cosponsor of it.

I wish to acknowledge the names of the victims because we must never forget them: 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.

I thank my colleagues who led this resolution, Reps. Judy Chu, Carolyn Bourdeaux, Nikema Williams, and Lucy McBath, together with Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock, who led the Senate resolution.

I am exceedingly proud to represent a vibrant community of hundreds of thousands of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California's 18th Congressional District which celebrates diversity as a strength and uses it as a source of our collective power.

Over the last several weeks, I've attended rallies throughout my District where hundreds have gathered to stand against AAPI hate and celebrate the APPI community. I've stood arm-in-arm with my AAPI brothers and sisters, colleagues, constituents, neighbors, and friends to fight xenophobia, and I will continue doing so.

I urge my colleagues to swiftly and unanimously pass S. 937 and H. Res. 275 to speak out, stand up, and fight Asian hate in all its ugly forms.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 11, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1843

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 11, 2021

Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Strickland, Mr. San Nicolas, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Jacobs of California, Ms. Velázquez, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Takano, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr. Payne, Ms. McCollum, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Hastings, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Ms. Norton, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Rush, Ms. Chu, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Carson, Mr. Trone, Mr. García of Illinois, Ms. Bush, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Beatty, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Mr. Lieu, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Kind, Mr. Jones, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Ross, Ms. Bass, Mr. Sires, Mr. Cárdenas, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. McNerney, Ms. Bourdeaux, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Kilmer, Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Connolly, Ms. Eshoo, and Mr. Levin of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To facilitate the expedited review of COVID–19 hate crimes, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act.

Review of COVID–19 hate crimes

(a)

In general

Not later than 14 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall designate an officer or employee of the Department of Justice whose sole responsibility during the applicable period shall be to facilitate the expedited review of COVID–19 hate crimes and reports of any such crime to Federal, State, or local law enforcement agencies.

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term applicable period means the period beginning on the date on which the officer or employee is designated under subsection (a), and ending on the date that is one year after the date on which the emergency period described in subparagraph (B) of section 1135(g)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)) ends, except that the Attorney General may extend such period as appropriate.

(2)

The term COVID–19 hate crime means a crime of violence (as such term is defined under title 18, United States Code) that is motivated by—

(A)

the actual or perceived race, ethnicity, age, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability of any person; and

(B)

the actual or perceived relationship to the spread of COVID–19 of any person because of the characteristic described in subparagraph (A).

Guidance

(a)

Guidance for law enforcement agencies

The Attorney General shall issue guidance for State and local law enforcement agencies on the following:

(1)

The establishment of online reporting of hate crimes or incidents, and the availability of online reporting in multiple languages.

(2)

The expansion of culturally competent and linguistically appropriate public education campaigns, and the collection of data and public reporting of hate crimes.

(b)

Best practices to describe the COVID–19 pandemic

The Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the COVID–19 Health Equity Task Force and community-based organizations, shall issue guidance describing best practices to mitigate racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID–19 pandemic.