Vice President Kamala Harris’ week, featured a variety of issues, starting Mon. Mar 18, honoring women at the Women's History Month Reception at the White House, speaking to climate change and environmental issues in a moderated conversation with Senator Cory Booker at the League of Conservation Voters Capital Dinner ( Wed. Mar 20), visiting Puerto Rico (Fri. Mar. 22) to address the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to support the island’s recovery and renewal, ending in Parkland, Florida (Sat. Mar 23) to address gun safety and work to reduce gun violence. Throughout her speeches, there was a common theme of progress made, more work to do, an urgency to do so and an appeal to not go backward.
From VP Harris’ remarks at the Women’s History Month Reception at the White House, after listing a number of achievements (cancelling student loan debt for millions of women, investing in women entrepreneurs and small business owners & lowering the cost of healthcare, including the cost of insulin for seniors):
But even as we lift up the women and all people of our nation, there are those who are intent on dragging us backward.
From VP Harris’ remarks at the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Capital Dinner:
VP: So, yes, we have achieved a lot. [In an aside — it’s like a CVS receipt.]
But I will say what everyone here knows: I do believe strongly that this is a very decisive decade that we’re in. And the moment now is to be bold, unapologetic, ambitious —
Senator Booker: Yes. Yes.
VP: — and have a sense of optimism, knowing what is possible.
Vice President Kamala Harris addresses League of Conservation Voters’ Dinner. (video)
In Puerto Rico:
Secretary Jennifer Granholm introducing VP Harris: We are so grateful that you are here to inspect the work. I hope that it meets with your satisfaction. You want to see it go faster, I know, because she’s impatient; she wants results!
VP Harris in her concluding remarks: “I see we are making a difference. There is still more work to do.” “We are ambitious. Yes, we are impatient.”
VP Kamala Harris’ remarks start at 7:37 minutes.
After her remarks, VP Harris visited La Goyco Community Center at the old Pedro G. Goyco School in Santurce, Puerto Rico.
There were also protests to VP Kamala Harris’ visit to Puerto Rico by people who want independence, independentistas. For a great review of politics in Puerto Rico, see Denise Oliver-Velez's Caribbean Matters: The winds of political change are blowing in Puerto Rico. VP Harris’ visit fell on the same day that Puerto Rico marks the abolition of slavery and just after members of the newly formed, La Alianza (see Denise’s diary) were kicked off the ballot. Here’s a good article by AP correspondent, Danica Coto: Kamala Harris marks first visit to Puerto Rico as vice president, riling some in the US territory. There will be more in the comments I will be posting.
At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida:
And, we must be willing to have the courage to say that on every level, whether you talk about changing laws, or changing practices and protocols, that we must do better.
You know, there are only about 21 states that have passed red flag laws. So, part of why I am here today is to challenge every state. Pass a red flag law. Of the states, that have passed red flag laws, approximately 21, only 6, have taken up the offer we have made, through our administration, of federal resources to help them with the training and the implementation of these red flag laws. Of the 21, that have passed red flag laws, I challenge the others: Come on over. We’ve got some resources for you to help you implement the work you have done, which has been the work of a leader on this tragic issue.
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VOTE and GOTV! “When we fight, we win!” — VP Kamala Harris