Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law on Thursday following the bill’s passage in the US House of Representatives by a 364-62 vote earlier this week. The law will, among other initiatives, direct the Justice Department to more speedily review pandemic-related hate crimes and expand data collection resources for tracking such crimes. “I believe with every fiber of my being that there are simple core values and beliefs that should bring us together as Americans. One of them is standing together against hate, against racism — the ugly poison that has long haunted and plagued our nation,” said Biden before the signing.
