Increased numbers of Asian Americans have reported harassment, stigma, and even physical assaults amid inflammatory rhetoric about COVID-19.

Grace Meng, D-N.Y., the sponsor of the measure, told USA TODAY its passage would be “really important” to demonstrate to the Asian American community that it's “wrong to discriminate against our community in light of the pandemic.”.

The resolution – the House’s first addressing anti-Asian discrimination related to the pandemic – does not refer to any individual’s rhetoric  and instead “calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce any and all anti-Asian sentiment in any form.” It also asks for federal law enforcement to work with state and local officials to address reports of hate incidents and crimes against Asian American communities and collect data on the incidents.

More: 'We just want to be safe': Hate crimes, harassment of Asian Americans rise amid coronavirus pandemic.

The 2020 Asian American Voter Survey released Tuesday found that 51% of Asian Americans were concerned about experiencing hate crimes, harassment, and discrimination because of COVID-19, and a combined 79% said there was a lot or some discrimination against Asian people in society.

University of Maryland Professor of American Studies Janelle Wong, the co-author of several books on Asian American politics, told USA TODAY the polling showed how Asian Americans were "still vulnerable to anti-Asian bias and racism" despite gains in income and education.

Gregg Orton, the national director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, a coalition of over 35 national Asian American advocacy organizations, said the vote would be a “rejection” of both “COVID-19-fueled racism” and of Asian Americans’ fears their concerns would be ignored

Yang, the president and executive director of Asian American advocacy group Advancing Justice-AAJC