United States · Law · S
S. 937 (117th)
COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act
Introduced
23 March 2021
Last action
20 May 2021 · Became law
Status
Became Public Law No: 117-13.
Sponsors
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Tammy Duckworth, Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Maria Cantwell, Richard Durbin, Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA], Timothy Kaine, Amy Klobuchar, Edward Markey, Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ], Patty Murray, Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Jacky Rosen, Chris Van Hollen, Mark Warner, Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH], Catherine Cortez Masto, Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT], Jeff Merkley, Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Elizabeth Warren, Sheldon Whitehouse, Ron Wyden, Bernie Sanders, Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3], John Reed, Gary Peters, Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI], Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Kelly, Michael Bennet, Rep. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE-At Large], Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA], Christopher Coons, Ben Luján, Tina Smith, Christopher Murphy, Martin Heinrich, Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT], Charles Schumer, Jon Ossoff, Angus King
Subjects
Education
Source updated
28 May 2025
Summary
COVID - 19 Hate Crimes Act This bill requires a designated officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate the expedited review of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) hate crimes and reports of COVID-19 hate crimes. It defines COVID-19 hate crime as a violent crime that is motivated by two things: (1) the actual or perceived characteristic (e.g., race or ethnicity) of any person, and (2) the actual or perceived relationship to the spread of COVID-19 of any person because of that characteristic. The bill requires DOJ to issue guidance for state and local law enforcement agencies on how to establish online hate crime reporting processes in multiple languages and how to expand culturally competent education campaigns. Additionally, DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services must issue guidance on best practices for mitigating racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
23 March 2021
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Source: Calendars
23 March 2021
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
24 March 2021
Calendars
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 13.
Source: Calendars
25 March 2021
Floor
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S1804-1805)
Source: Floor
14 April 2021
Vote
Cloture on the motion to proceed invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 92 - 6. Record Vote Number: 151. (CR S1923)
Source: Floor
15 April 2021
Floor
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1953)
Source: Floor
19 April 2021
Floor
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S2002-2003)
Source: Floor
20 April 2021
Floor
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S2043, S2046, S2058)
Source: Floor
21 April 2021
Floor
Cloture motion on the measure withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate. (CR S2117)
Source: Floor
22 April 2021
Floor
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S2140-2148)
Source: Floor
22 April 2021
Vote
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate, under the order of 4/21/21, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 94 - 1. Record Vote Number: 165.(text: CR S2148-2150)
Source: Floor
26 April 2021
Floor
Held at the desk.
Source: Floor
26 April 2021
Floor
Received in the House.
Source: Floor
18 May 2021
Vote
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 364 - 62 (Roll no. 145). (text: CR H2464-2466)
Source: Floor
18 May 2021
Vote
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 364 - 62 (Roll no. 145).(text: CR H2464-2466)
Source: Floor
18 May 2021
Floor
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2464-2472)
Source: Floor
18 May 2021
Vote
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Source: Floor
18 May 2021
Floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 937.
Source: Floor
18 May 2021
Floor
Mr. Nadler moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Source: Floor
18 May 2021
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
19 May 2021
Floor
Presented to President.
Source: Floor
19 May 2021
President
Presented to President.
Source: President
20 May 2021
Became law
Became Public Law No: 117-13.
Source: President
20 May 2021
President
Signed by President.
Source: President
20 May 2021
Became law
Signed by President.
Source: BecameLaw
Votes
18 May 2021 · passed · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · Passed · Official source
Yes 364 · No 62 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 3
- A. FergusonYea
- A. McEachinYea
- Abigail SpanbergerYea
- Adam KinzingerYea
- Adam SchiffYea
- Adam SmithYea
- Adrian SmithYea
- Adriano EspaillatYea
Showing the first 8 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.
22 April 2021 · Bill Passed · On Passage of the Bill S. 937 · Bill Passed · Official source
Yes 94 · No 1 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 5
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]Yea
- Amy KlobucharNot Voting
- Angus KingYea
- Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3]Yea
- Ben LujánYea
- Sen. Sasse, Ben [R-NE]Yea
- Bernie SandersYea
- Bill CassidyYea
Showing the first 8 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.
14 April 2021 · Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Agreed to · On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 937 · Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Agreed to · Official source
Yes 92 · No 6 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 2
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]Yea
- Amy KlobucharYea
- Angus KingYea
- Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3]Yea
- Ben LujánYea
- Sen. Sasse, Ben [R-NE]Yea
- Bernie SandersYea
- Bill CassidyYea
Showing the first 8 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.
Versions
- Enrolled Bill · undated · Official file
- Public Law · 21 May 2021 · Official file
- Engrossed in Senate · 22 April 2021 · Official file
- Placed on Calendar Senate · 24 March 2021 · Official file
Documents
12 official files
Enrolled Bill (text)
Enrolled Bill · EN
Enrolled Bill (PDF)
Enrolled Bill · EN
Public Law (text)
Public Law · EN · 21 May 2021
Public Law (PDF)
Public Law · EN · 21 May 2021
Public Law
summary · EN · 20 May 2021
Passed House
summary · EN · 18 May 2021
Engrossed in Senate (text)
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 22 April 2021
Engrossed in Senate (PDF)
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 22 April 2021
Passed Senate
summary · EN · 22 April 2021
Placed on Calendar Senate (text)
Placed on Calendar Senate · EN · 24 March 2021
Placed on Calendar Senate (PDF)
Placed on Calendar Senate · EN · 24 March 2021
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 23 March 2021
Sponsors
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] · D · Sponsor
- Tammy Duckworth · D · Sponsor
- Richard Blumenthal · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] · D · Sponsor
- Maria Cantwell · D · Sponsor
- Richard Durbin · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] · D · Sponsor
- Timothy Kaine · D · Sponsor
- Amy Klobuchar · D · Sponsor
- Edward Markey · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] · D · Sponsor
- Patty Murray · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] · D · Sponsor
- Jacky Rosen · D · Sponsor
- Chris Van Hollen · D · Sponsor
- Mark Warner · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · D · Sponsor
- Catherine Cortez Masto · D · Sponsor
- Kirsten Gillibrand · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · D · Sponsor
- Jeff Merkley · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA] · D · Sponsor
- Elizabeth Warren · D · Sponsor
- Sheldon Whitehouse · D · Sponsor
- Ron Wyden · D · Sponsor
- Bernie Sanders · I · Sponsor
- Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3] · D · Cosponsor
- John Reed · D · Cosponsor
- Gary Peters · D · Cosponsor
- Tammy Baldwin · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI] · D · Cosponsor
- Jeanne Shaheen · D · Cosponsor
- Mark Kelly · D · Cosponsor
- Michael Bennet · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE-At Large] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] · D · Cosponsor
- Christopher Coons · D · Cosponsor
- Ben Luján · D · Cosponsor
- Tina Smith · D · Cosponsor
- Christopher Murphy · D · Cosponsor
- Martin Heinrich · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · D · Cosponsor
- Charles Schumer · D · Cosponsor
- Jon Ossoff · D · Cosponsor
- Angus King · I · Cosponsor
Related records
- related to → COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act
- related to → COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act
- related to ← Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2021
- related to ← Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act of 2021
- related to ← Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/937
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/117/s/937
- us · 117-s-937 · source updated 28 May 2025