Democrats are calling on Congress to pass hate crime bill that aims to combat crimes that have targeted Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders since the pandemic began. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Reps. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) held a press conference on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on Tuesday. “This week I’m using my power as Majority Leader to make sure the Senate will vote on Senator Hirono’s COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which my fellow New Yorker representative Meng has sponsored in the House,” said Schumer. “This common-sense legislation will give the Justice Department crucial tools to crack down on the wave of racist violence we have seen against the AAPI community,” he said, using an acronym for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Schumer said he’s open to amendments and hopes the bill receives bipartisan support. …