Hirono: Anti-Asian hate bill chance for Senate to 'take a stand'

As the Senate prepares to take up her anti-Asian hate crime bill this week, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said Monday the bill represents a chance for lawmakers to "take a stand" against rising anti-Asian attacks.

"At a time when the Asian America Pacific Islander community feels under siege and vulnerable, this is a bill that enables the Senate at least, and I know followed by the House, to take a stand and say these kinds of unprovoked attacks targeting Asian Americans are totally unacceptable," Hirono told the hosts of ABC's "The View."

Hirono, who is Japanese American, has been leading the Senate effort with Illinois Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth to pass legislation following a surge in anti-Asian crimes.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a new conference in New York Monday morning that the Senate will take a final vote on the legislation on Wednesday. The bill received an overwhelming green light from members of both parties in a procedural vote last week.