Salamander Washington D.C.Washington, D.C.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hey, everybody. (Applause.) Well, first and foremost, I just wanted to come up after seeing everybody at the tables just to thank you all.
As the President said and I know you all know, which is why youre here there is so much at stake in this election. And so I just wanted to share with you a couple of thoughts as we all recommit ourselves to this, which, as Doug said, is a recommitment to our democracy. It is a recommitment to foundational principles.It is a recommitment to the ideals of our nation and the basis of the foundation of our nation, a belief in the importance of freedom and liberty, the importance of justice and equality, the importance of understanding that we want leadership in our country that understands that the true strength of leadership is not measured based on who you beat down, it is measured based on who you lift up. (Applause.)
These are the things that we stand for. And I firmly believe when you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. And all of this is at stake.
As the President said, this is an inflection moment in the history of our country. And, dare I say, this is a moment where not only are the stakes high, but there is a full-on intentional attack on hard-won freedoms, where these supposed so-called and certainly extremist leaders have an agenda that, lets be clear, is not just about the people of Texas and Florida, its a national agenda that is about a full-on attack on hard-won freedoms the freedom to exercise your vote, which is an expression of your voice. And around our country, especially after our win in 2020, those supposed leaders who have been passing or proposing laws to make it more difficult for the people to vote.This is a national agenda that is at play.
I think part of it a backlash because of the progress we had in 2020 during the height of a pandemic, where more people turned out to vote than ever before because of the work of the people in this room. (Applause.) And that scared some people.
So you saw those laws being proposed and passed to attack voting rights.
Look at where we are. We thought so many things were settled in our country long settled like the right to vote. We passed the Voting Rights Act. We thought that all of that stuff had been done, and theyre turning back the clock.
Long settled that a woman would have the ability to make a decision about her own body and not her government telling her what to do. (Applause.)
For so many of us, because weve all I mean, we can you know, so many of us have been in these campaigns together for a long time. So many of us have just been seeing each other. Were kind of like perennial, right? (Laughs.) We see each other around this time every cycle.
And remember for years we would say that one of the most important reasons that people should care about elections and get out to vote is the United States Supreme Court? And remember how sometimes it would be a bit frustrating for some of us because we knew how important it is, and we thought it was really one of the most important reasons to vote, but it sometimes was the least persuasive? And then look what happened.
Were looking at a time in our country where so many of us were part of the movement to say that our value should be reflected, in terms of equality, when we fought through the states, and then through the United States Congress, through what we had to do in the courts to say that we would have marriage equality.
But yet, now we are seeing states that are proposing and passing laws that would attack LGBTQ rights. Look at what is happening in our country.
And so the stakes are very high. And, you know, sometimes, during the course of the work weve all been doing over the years, weve referred to a year such as 2023 as an off year. Well, I will say to the friends here, that is dated language. Every year is election year, in terms of what we have to do to turn out the votes. (Applause.)
So, theres so much at stake, and each one of these days leading up to the election will matter. And this is a group of extraordinary leaders who have always understood the importance of putting the resources, putting the thought, as the President said, putting your reputations, your networks, your friendships, in play, activating them to remind our neighbors and our friends about what is at stake and what is important and that we see them and we hear them, and that our motivation, as Doug just said, is based on love of country.
We love our country. Thats why we fight for it. Because we believe in these foundational principles. Because we believe in the importance of the integrity of our nation and our ability, as the President said, to walk in those rooms around the world and have the authority then to talk about issues like human rights and rule of law.
As Vice President, I have now met with over 100 world leaders presidents, prime ministers, chancellors, and kings. When we walk in those rooms, we still carry with us a certain authority to talk about the principles that are a foundation of a democracy.But lets be clear: In holding ourselves out as a role model this is a room of role models we know when youre a role model, people watch what you do to see if it matches what you say.
So when we think about what is at stake in this election, yes, it is our democracy. But let us also understand, and certainly it is my great fear, that one of the repercussions of this all is that in those places, led by dictators and and and autocracies, that those supposed leaders are looking at their people and saying, You want to fight for these freedoms? You want to hold that country out as a model? Well, look at what theyre doing. You be quiet.
So when we think about the stakes, it is, yes, the people of our country but, arguably, people around the world who will be impacted by the outcome of this election.
So thats on one side of the ledger. But the other part of this, which is why I am so darn excited (laughs) we got a lot of good material, guys. We got a lot of good material. (Applause.) We really do.
Because the President talked about it. What we have accomplished because of what you all in this room did in 2020 is extraordinary. The people said, when we asked them to vote, Hey, I need yall to deal with the fact that I have many members of my family who have diabetes. And for the seniors that I know who have diabetes, too many of them have to make a decision about whether they either buy their insulin, which is prescribed by their doctor to save their life, or pay for the rent or put food in the fridge. And because for years theyve been demanding something would be done about it, and because of your work in 2020, we were able to cap the cost of insulin for seniors at $35 a month. (Applause.) Its huge.
Im traveling our country. When I mention this, one of the things that I do is I ask the crowd, Raise your hand if you have a relative or a friend thats got diabetes. Almost every hand goes up.
Here, Ill ask this room: Raise your hand. And then when we talk about capping it at $35 a month, people get it.
We have now capped the cost prescription medication at $2,000 a year for our seniors. Has anybody heard about the issue of medical debt? Well, a whole lot of Americans have when theyre going through bankruptcy and being evicted and learn that thats what theyre in, is called medical debt. Weve been dealing with that.
I traveled around the country on the issue of lead pipes. Grandparents, for generations those grandmothers and grandfathers have been talking about the fact that theres lead in these pipes, and I may not have a medical degree, but I know that that water is causing health impacts to my child, including an impact on their ability to learn. (Applause.)
And heres an important thing that you have to understand about that issue in terms of how we, as Democrats, approach something like that. Of course thats a public health issue. Of course it is an issue that is also about public education when you understand the direct link in terms of how it affects learning ability.
But heres the thing: Lead pipes werent only installed in low-income communities and communities of color; they happened throughout the country. But if you were in a neighborhood that had high rates of homeownership, you could take some equity out of your home and replace those pipes.
In the low-income communities, in high-rent communities, folks couldnt afford to do it. And so they had then those impacts, those desperate impacts.
We, as Democrats, say, No, it shouldnt be on that individual to do it because its a public health issue. Its a public education issue. So we have now passed a law that within the next, now, eight years, well get rid of lead pipes throughout America because we took this issue on. (Applause.)
We took on the issue of broadband. Well, it was highlighted during the pandemic. Folks who live in rural America, folks who cannot afford high-speed Internet well, then they didnt have the ability for their kids to take advantage of online education. Theyd have to go in a car to a parking lot in a McDonalds to take advantage of public Wi-Fi.
Seniors who live in rural America who had no access to high-speed Internet couldnt take advantage of telemedicine without going to the public library and sitting in a public place to talk with their doctor.
You all did your work in 2020. We came in and said this has got to stop. Its an equity issue. Its an issue of dignity. And we have now put in place a policy where we are going to ensure the installation of high-speed, accessible, and affordable broadband throughout our country. Its because of the work you did.
The work that we have done together Im looking at Tom Steyer the work we have done together on climate. The clock is banging on this issue. We came in, and despite some of our opponents that for years have been denying the existence of the climate crisis, because of the work you all did, $1 trillion has now been dedicated to addressing this issue and the development of a clean energy economy. (Applause.)
So all that to say weve got a lot of good material. And weve just got to get the word out. And we need the resources and the friends to all come together so we can join together, as we have always done, to remind the people that their voices do matter and they get heard.
And heres the benefit of that: reminding people that when they are active, when they vote, things happen that uplift and improve the condition of lives.
What we have done also reminds people of what they have a right to demand of their leaders and their government. And when they stand in those lines for hours, even if so-called leaders deny them the ability to have food and water, that the outcome directly impacts their lives in a way that is responsive to what they demanded.
This is very exciting our ability to communicate with folks and let them know we heard you, we see you, and these things happened, and theres more to come.
Theres more to come in terms of what we need to do around affordable childcare, paid leave; what we need to do to extend the Child Tax Credit. Theres more work to come. Weve got a lot of good material.
And so my last point is this: When we fight, we win. (Applause.)
END
###
Read the rest here:
Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Reception for the Democratic ... - The White House
- How alternative communities have evolved from pacifist communes to a solution to the ageing population - The Conversation - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Georgia Power Announced T. Dallas Smith named to Georgia ... - All On Georgia - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- CSRWire - Thought Leaders Gather for Critical Community ... - CSRwire.com - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- EPA centers diversity with first-ever environmental youth advisory council - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Rigor, Relevance, & Reality: Education Collaboratory at Yale ... - Yale School of Medicine - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Gaza: UN experts call on international community to prevent ... - ReliefWeb - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Fathering Together Announces Acquisition of City Dads Group - PR Web - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Company to pay over $50 million in largest environmental lawsuit settlement in D.C. history: Health risks to the public - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Student death is now part of the routine at Middlebury - The Middlebury Campus - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- We welcomed an abandoned dog into our family. But dog dumping ... - Kansas Reflector - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The National Climate Assessment Goes Woke - Dallasweekly - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- A Conversation about History, Race and the Meaning of True ... - Philanthropy Roundtable - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The color of community | WORLD - WORLD News Group - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Kindness has good benefits | News, Sports, Jobs - The Review - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Georgia Power Foundation awards grant for BIG Edge ... - Georgia Southern University Newsroom - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- "Chilling": Maryland lawmakers threaten to cut aid to immigrants ... - Salon - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Three water options come with high cost | News, Sports, Jobs - Evening Observer - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Welcome to the Team, Kintan! | Office of Immigrant Affairs - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Recognized for Its DEI Efforts - DSNews.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Named 'Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion' and ... - Fannie Mae - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Focused on progress - Weekly Challenger - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Good Ancestors and Messengers of Hope - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Make it intentional': 3-N-1 Trinity Services helps young ... - Longview News-Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Latinistas' is the World's First All-Latina Fashion Doll Line - hiplatina.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- CSU Releases Findings of Three-Year Research Study on NAVA'S ... - InvestorsObserver - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Press Ganey's Physician of the Year on a cardiology 'game changer ... - Becker's Hospital Review - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- City Officials Join Summer Campers and Local Artists to Kick Off ... - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Merrill and Linda Hutchinson on Communication for a Summer of ... - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Feathers installed as Rotary District Governor | News, Sports, Jobs - The Inter-Mountain - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Theatre at St. Luke's: All Shook Up to The Little Mermaid - Orlando Sentinel - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Culture wars rage on, forcing marketers to decide whether to ... - Marketing Dive - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Some thoughts on governance of the local variety - Resilience - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 988 is saving lives, but more awareness and support needed - Alton Telegraph - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- The Limitations of Eco-Anxiety | Atmos - Atmos Magazine - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Welcome Back: How JAPER Becomes Real for the People in Brazil ... - Just Security - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Now Is the Time to Go All In on Heat Pumps - Rocky Mountain Institute - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) celebrates 40th ... - Elizabethton.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Discrimination or bureaucracy? A Jewish community in Germany ... - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- AAP Rules And Guidelines For How To Keep Kids Safe From Cars - Fatherly - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Pine County Sheriff's Report and Jail Roster | Communities ... - Pine City Pioneer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Is a Hanan Ben Ari concert the solution for Jewish divisions? - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- What the LGBT wedding website Supreme Court ruling means for ... - The Atlanta Journal Constitution - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Out at CHM hosts its first 2023 event - Windy City Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 'The time is now': Longtime friends launch support organization for ... - The Lawrence Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- La Vergne Receives Municipal League Award for Excellence in Fire ... - rutherfordsource.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- UW System offers status update on its five-year strategic plan (day 1 ... - University of Wisconsin System - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Hawaii Native Krystal Ka'ai Tackles Equity And Anti-Asian Hate For ... - Honolulu Civil Beat - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- News & events / News - Diocese of York - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Businesses that address social or environmental problems often ... - The Conversation - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- EFOC: Is This Happening To Me Because I'm Black? Combating ... - Essence - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Stations Telling Diverse Stories With Sponsored Segments from ... - Next TV - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Ex-Prisoners Face Headwinds as Job Seekers, Even as Openings ... - The New York Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Bungie weighs in on the current argument raging through the ... - PC Gamer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Myanmar: Dire humanitarian and human rights situation ... - OHCHR - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Invest in our public schools - EdNC - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- N.Y. stands up for LGBTQ equality: Having Pride 12 months a year - New York Daily News - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NASCAR, Bubba Wallace bring 'Bubba's Block Party' to Chicago - Daytona Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Fifth Third's 2022 Sustainability Report Shares Progress on Priorities ... - InvestorsObserver - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Top LGBTQ+ Financial Influencers to Learn from in 2023 - Investopedia - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- 'Retirement is so traditional,' try periodic retirement to figure out ... - Morningstar - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people brings federal ... - New Mexico In Depth - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The Astounding Power of Intentional Productivity (And How You Can ... - The Good Men Project - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action means for UL schools - Louisiana Radio Network - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Community managers find the path for developers and players to ... - VentureBeat - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The EPA was ready to clean up 'Cancer Alley.' Then it backed off. - Grist - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What Bidenomics Means for Workers and Families - UpNorthNews - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The vital link between a healthy press and our republic - The Fulcrum - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Death, Drag, and Decadence shows off the queer joy of DnD - Wargamer - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Israeli Expats in the U.S.: 'I Speak English, but I Don't Speak American' - Tablet Magazine - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NTSB hearings end with talks on tanker conditions, fire's aftermath - Marietta Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Can 'Friendship Clubs' Cure the Loneliness Created by Remote Work? - The San Francisco Standard - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- 'Men in Blazers' Podcast Comes to Higher Ground to Talk Vermont ... - Seven Days - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Mindfulness, breathwork expert preaches value of slow living to Black and brown communities - Yahoo News - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Idaho's physician shortage is here. Here's what we can do about it. - Idaho Capital Sun - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Awards Ceremony Shines Spotlight on Caltech's Trailblazers in ... - Caltech - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The African American Museum of Iowa Announces Juneteenth ... - River Cities Reader - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- US Supreme Court Rules Against Striking Drivers Who Abandoned ... - Engineering News-Record - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Future of the Thomaston Green is Green (or should be) - PenBayPilot.com - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Elephant in the Ethernet Port - City Journal - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- (Opinion) Nurturing diversity is good for kids, schools and NH - New Hampshire Business Review - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]