Kamala Harris turns into first VP or president to go to abortion clinic

Vice President Kamala Harris made historical past when she turned what’s believed to be the primary president or vp to go to an abortion clinic on Thursday because the battle over abortion rights has been entrance and middle for the reason that overturning of Roe v Wade.

Harris met with abortion suppliers and workers at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a part of a nationwide tour she has been on after the landmark resolution was struck down in 2022.  

The vp has been a fierce defender of abortion rights throughout the Biden administration as the difficulty has confirmed to be a powerful motivator for voters and is anticipated to be one of many prime points for Democrats forward of November’s election.

‘Many of you may have requested why am I right here at this facility particularly and I’ll inform you it’s as a result of proper now in our nation we face a really critical well being disaster, and the disaster is affecting many many individuals in our nation, most of whom are frankly silently struggling,’ Harris stated throughout her go to.

This was Harris’ sixth cease in her ‘Fight for Reproductive Freedoms’ tour which kicked off in Wisconsin to mark the 51st anniversary of Roe in January.

‘In states round our nation, extremists have proposed and handed legal guidelines which have denied ladies entry to reproductive well being care,’ Harris stated. 

She went on to slam such elected leaders who ‘consider they’re in a greater place to inform ladies what they want.’

Vice President Harris has been a fierce advocate for abortion rights within the Biden administration since Roe was overturned and is the primary vp or president to go to an abortion clinic

Harris talking with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Dr. Sarah Traxler as she visits an abortion clinic in Minneapolis

Harris talking with reporters after touring abortion clinic in Minnesota

Anti-abortion protesters exterior because the vp’s motorcade arrived on the Planned Parenthood clinic in Minnesota

Harris stated she was on the clinic to ‘uplift’ the work occurring in Minnesota for example of true management. She stated when she talks a few clinic just like the one she visited, it’s ‘completely about well being care and reproductive well being care.’

‘Everyone prepare for the language: uterus. That a part of the physique wants numerous medical care once in a while. Issues like fibroids, we will deal with this. Breast most cancers screenings, contraceptive care. That is the form of work that occurs right here as well as after all to abortion care,’ Harris stated.

During her go to Thursday, Harris was joined by Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in addition to Congresswoman Betty McCollum. 

Upon arriving, her go to was additionally greeted by a handful of anti-abortion protesters who held indicators exterior together with one which stated ‘abortion will not be healthcare.’

After Roe fell, the Biden administration has taken a number of government actions to assist shield entry to abortion and the medication used for abortions, however their efforts have been restricted. 

President Biden has additionally known as for Congress to move laws codifying Roe and defending the proper to an abortion nationwide, however Democrats haven’t had the mandatory assist in Congress to move a invoice.

The White House and Biden marketing campaign have leaned in on the difficulty forward of the 2024 election. The reelection marketing campaign began working advertisements earlier this 12 months that includes a lady who had journey out of state to have an emergency abortion. 

Kate Cox, who went to court docket to try to get permission for an abortion in Texas, was a visitor of First Lady Jill Biden for the president’s State of the Union deal with final week.

President Biden has blasted his Republican opponent former President Donald Trump calling him the rationale Roe v Wade was overturned after Trump nominated three of the justices who supported the Dobbs resolution. 

‘If you the American individuals ship me a Congress that helps the proper to decide on, I promise you, I’ll restore Roe v. Wade because the legislation of the land once more,’ Biden stated throughout his State of the Union deal with.

Harris thanked clinic workers after tour. She stated their work is ‘completely about well being care’

President Biden vowed throughout his State of the Union deal with to signal a invoice codifying Roe v Wade into legislation if Americans despatched him a Congress that would move the laws

Harris with Dr. Sarah Traxler, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States

Harris arriving in Minneapolis forward of her tour of an abortion clinic

Abortion rights has been a key concern for Democrats since Roe v Wade was overturned in 2022

Minnesota is one among a number of blue states that moved to strengthen abortion rights after Roe fell whereas crimson states have handed quite a few items of laws additional proscribing abortion or banning it altogether. 

In January of final 12 months, Governor Walz signed a legislation enshrining the proper to an abortion within the state in addition to strengthening different reproductive well being care protections.

It was the primary state after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs resolution returned the difficulty to states to take legislative protecting motion.   

Minnesota, which is bordered by 4 states with abortion bans, has additionally grow to be a haven for ladies in search of abortions lately from different states.

The Society for Family Planning, a analysis group, discovered the common variety of abortion within the state elevated by 36 % the 12 months after the choice. 

Dr. Sarah Traxler, the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, joined Harris throughout her go to. Traxler mentioned how she had been serving to sufferers from all around the nation together with ones from so far as Texas.

The anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America slammed the vp forward of her go to saying Harris spent her ‘entire profession within the pocket of Big Abortion.’

Later this month, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in one other high-profile case within the abortion battle. It raises whether or not sufferers can entry mifepristone, a tablet generally utilized in abortion throughout the nation.