Yesterday (Thursday 4/23/21), the Democratic-controlled House passed legislation to make Washington, DC, the 51st US state. In the federal district, DC’s residents can vote in the presidential election. But they have no representation in the Senate – despite having a larger population than Vermont and Wyoming. For years, DC residents (86%) have wanted to get equal representation in Congress and expand voting rights to a population that’s 46% Black. But Republicans say ‘this isn’t in the Constitution’ and argue the bill’s a ploy for Dems to get more congresspeople on their side (DC’s largely blue). Now, the bill heads to the Senate, where it’s expected to fail for the second year in a row.
Yesterday, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the anti-Asian Hate Crimes bill with bipartisan support. The bill gained traction after six Asian women were killed in the Atlanta area last month. And as a report showed major US cities saw a 150% rise in anti-Asian hate crimes last year – partly attributed to former President Trump’s xenophobic language during the pandemic. Now, the DOJ could be asked to review coronavirus-related hate crimes, and the measure would help fund states and local govs to identify hate crimes. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), who sponsored the bill, said it “sends a clear and unmistakable message of solidarity” to the AAPI community. The bill heads to the House, where it’s expected to pass on to President Biden for his signature.