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By Carolyn Kenney

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a clear violation of the U.N. Charter and threatens to upend the rules-based international order established after World War II. With each passing day, there are a growing number of reports of indiscriminate attacks by Russia that likely constitute war crimes. Global outcry over Russia’s alleged atrocities has included war crimes accusations at the highest levels, with President Joe Biden calling Russian President Vladimir Putin “a war criminal.”

To ensure accountability for crimes committed—and to attempt to deter future ones—it is imperative that the international community act swiftly to pursue justice establish accountability mechanisms where needed for those committing crimes in Ukraine, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression and enforce penalties. ​ -- READ MORE

By Juli Adhikari, Jessica Milli, Maggie Jo Buchanan

The persistent gender wage gap is a stark reminder of the gender, racial, ethnic, and other systemic biases rooted in our economy. According to the most recent available data, the average woman working full-time, year-round earned around 83 cents for every $1 earned by the average man. This pay gap is even worse for most women of color. Although women’s labor force participation rates and educational attainment have significantly increased in recent decades, the wage gap endures across every occupation and level of education. The causes of the wage gap are multifaceted but can be partly attributed to systemic occupational segregation, differences in available work hours, and gender-based pay discrimination. Overall, these factors significantly contribute to the fact that women still continue to experience higher rates of poverty than men.--READ MORE

By Nicole Rapfogel and Emily Gee

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 made pivotal investments in the nation’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, including by making health coverage more affordable and accessible. Building on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), ARPA contributed to record-high enrollment of 14.5 million people in the marketplaces—a 2.5 million increase over the year prior—and significant reductions in uninsurance.

ARPA did this, in part, by increasing the generosity of and expanding the eligibility for premium tax credits for health insurance marketplace coverage. It guaranteed that zero-dollar premium plans were available to people with family incomes below 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), while also making financial assistance newly available to people with family incomes above 400 percent of the FPL by capping premiums at 8.5 percent of income.--READ MORE

From CAPAC

April 15, Washington, D.C. — One year ago today, a gunman killed eight individuals, including four Sikh community members, at a FedEx warehouse in Indianapolis, IN. Today, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) released the following statements to mark the one year anniversary of this tragedy.

CAPAC Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27): “One year ago today, a gunman targeted a FedEx facility in Indianapolis and gunned down eight individuals, including four Sikh community members. As we mark the anniversary of this solemn day, I stand with the loved ones of the victims and the Sikh community to honor the lives of those who were killed and commit to addressing senseless gun violence, racism, bigotry, and xenophobia. We must work together to stop anti-Asian hate in all its forms.”.--READ MORE

WASHINGTON, March 31— Earlier this week, Rep. Tim Ryan launched an ad buy for his Senate campaign that is rife with sinophobic rhetoric, a move which pits nativists against those within the AAPI community. As the nation seeks to rebuild from COVID-19, incendiary rhetoric linked to the alarming rise in anti-AAPI hate crimes must end. Republicans and Democrats must recognize the detrimental impact that words, which appear to target them, have on the lives and livelihoods of the Asian American community.

AAPI Victory Fund Chairman and Founder Shekar Narasimhan issued the following statement: “To be an inclusive party, Democrats must not incite hate or fear just to whip up their base. That’s what the Trump Republicans do and why we fight them everywhere. Rep. Tim Ryan’s ad for his Ohio Senate campaign stirs up a racist pedagogy vis-à-vis China and makes Americans of East Asian descent vulnerable to attack. . -READ MORE

(WASHINGTON, D.C, 4/22/2022) – On Monday, April 25, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, plans to release its latest civil rights report at a news conference at its Capitol Hill headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Titled “Still Suspect: The Impact of Structural Islamophobia,” the report documents more than 6,720 complaints to CAIR offices nationwide involving a range of issues including immigration and travel, workplace discrimination, denial of public accommodations, law enforcement and government overreach, hate and bias incidents, incarceree rights, school incidents, anti-BDS/free speech, among other reported issues. --READ MORE