Response of Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.)

1. "As the tragedy in Charlottesville demonstrated, all communities across our Commonwealth and the country are vulnerable to the vile acts of white supremacy and extremism. According to the latest data from the Virginia State Police, the Commonwealth witnessed an increase of hate crimes of nearly 50 percent between 2016 and 2017. Sadly, even here in Northern Virginia, over the last few years we have seen an increase of anti-Semitism, vandalism, and bias incidents." 2. "Congress must be a leader in calling out and condemning hate crimes and white supremacism, but we need a partner in the White House. Following the incidents in Charlottesville, I wrote to then-Chief of Staff John Kelly asking what the Trump administration was doing to track and monitor hate acts, but the White House never responded. And in subsequent tragedies, we have continued to see our President fail to live up to his responsibilities and an unwillingness to call out, condemn, and fight white supremacy. In the face of this inaction, Congress must pass legislation like the Hate Crimes Commission Act, which would create a bipartisan commission responsible for investigating the national rise in hate crimes. We also need to make sure the federal government continues to partner with our state and local first responders. Because there is little faith that the Trump Administration will prioritize the domestic terror threat posed by white supremacists, Congress must also conduct strict oversight of the Barr Justice Department to ensure that it is providing the necessary resources and attention to stopping white supremacist violence." The events that took place in Charlottesville two summers ago can be seen as a national microcosm for hatred and white supremacy, in what ways do you think locally, state, and federally Virginia can be a national leader on addressing and preventing hate crimes? "In the aftermath of Charlottesville, I was proud to join Senators Kaine and Warner in leading our congressional delegation in passing S.J. Res 49. With one voice we clearly and unequivocally condemned the hateful acts of violence carried out by white supremacists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK. I believe Virginia demonstrated how a community can come together and heal following tragedy."