Senate Approves Hate Crime Bill With Bipartisan Support
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) speaks during a news conference with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) following the passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act in the Mansfield Room at the U.S. Capitol on April 22, 2021 in Washington, DC. Sponsored by Hirono, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act addresses the rise of hate crimes and violence targeted at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through funding that coordinates efforts between local, state and federal law enforcement to respond to hate crimes. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Senate has passed a hate crime bill on Thursday targeting attacks against Asian-Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measure has earned bipartisan support, with a 94 to 1 vote. Democrat Mazie Hirono worked with some of her Republican co-lawmakers to ensure support on the bill.

A Republican lawmaker from Missouri, Josh Hawley, was the only senator to vote against the said hate crime bill, according to The Guardian report.

The legislation will then head to the Democratic-controlled House. It is also expected to be passed, while U.S. President Joe Biden said he will sign the bill once it is on his desk.

"This long-overdue bill sends two messages. To our Asian-American friends, we will not tolerate bigotry against you," the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, was quoted in a report.

Schumer added that those perpetrating anti-Asian bigotry will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law.

Anti-Asian Hate Crime Bill

Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, introduced the legislation, seeking to direct the Department of Justice to expedite the review of hate crimes related to COVID-19 that were reported to law enforcement agencies, according to an NBC News report.

The bill would also help create a way to report incidents of hate crime online and perform public outreach.

In addition, the bill would also direct the attorney general and the Health and Human Services to issue best practices guidance on how to reduce racially discriminatory language during the pandemic.

Schumer said that racism has always existed in America and that anti-Asian statements go back centuries, citing incidents during World War II with Japanese citizens.

"By passing this bill, the Senate makes it very clear that hate and discrimination against any group has no place in America. Bigotry against one is bigotry against all," Schumer was quoted in a report.

Asian Hate Crimes

About 150 percent surge in anti-Asian hate crime in 2020 were reported by police department statistics across the U.S. cities.

Despite the increase in hate crimes targeting Asians, overall hate crimes decrease by seven percent.

New York City saw the highest peak, rising to 28 from three cases. Boston and Los Angeles followed the list, with an increase from six to 14, and seven to 15, respectively, according to a CBS News report.

In Los Angeles, Hong Lee was approached by a man who asked her out for lunch while standing in line at a restaurant.

Lee declined the offer, saying that she is married. The man told her then to "go back to f-----g Asia."

Lee said that the man was using a lot of derogatory terms, adding that she was asking anyone near her to help her.

However, employees and patrons around did not know what to do.

Anne A. Cheng, a comparative race scholar and professor at Princeton University, said that it is very disturbing.

Cheng added that it is part of a very long systemic cultural discrimination against Asians in the U.S.

The group Stop AAPI Hate said that more than 2,800 of these hate incidents were focused on AsianAmericans since the start of the pandemic.

Asian women are attacked almost 2.5 times more than men.

WATCH: News Wrap: Senate passes bipartisan COVID hate crimes bill to protect AAPI community - from PBS NewsHour