The Greene County Democrat

Tag: Vice President Kamala Harris

  • Newswire: Lawmakers face September 30 deadline to avoid government shutdown

     U. S. Capitol building with yellow tape

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


     
    After a six-week summer recess, lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday with a looming crisis: preventing a government shutdown. They have just three weeks to act before federal funding runs out on September 30, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The twice impeached and 34 times convicted former President Donald Trump has urged Republicans to embrace a shutdown unless his demands are met, putting millions of jobs and essential services at risk just weeks ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

    The prospect of a shutdown would close federal agencies and national parks and curtail essential public services while furloughing millions of federal workers. The presidential race overshadows this impending crisis, as Congress will break again at the end of the month, not returning until after the election. Before leaving in July, the political landscape shifted when President Joe Biden exited the presidential race, positioning Vice President Kamala Harris as the new Democratic standard bearer. In the campaign’s final weeks, Republicans under Trump are preparing to change their strategy against Harris.

    At the heart of Congress’s immediate challenge is securing a funding bill to keep the government operational. With an unlikely complete funding agreement, lawmakers are looking for a stopgap measure. But even that has become a political minefield. Under pressure from Trump and right-wing factions, the Republican-led House proposed a stopgap bill that would extend funding through March 28, 2025. However, it comes with a controversial addition—the SAVE Act, a GOP-backed measure that would overhaul national voting laws by requiring proof of citizenship to vote.
    Democrats have vehemently opposed the act, arguing it would disenfranchise voters by making it harder for eligible Americans to access required documents like passports or birth certificates.

    Beyond the political gamesmanship, the consequences of a shutdown would hit home in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, where federal workers and government operations are crucial to local economies. National landmarks like the Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo may remain open temporarily with prior-year funding, but there is uncertainty about other attractions like the National Mall’s memorials.

    The economic impact could be severe in Maryland, home to over 240,000 federal worker households. State officials are preparing to use local funds to offset the disruption, but workers commuting to Washington, D.C., or Northern Virginia may be furloughed.

    Virginia would bear the brunt of the shutdown, with its substantial federal civilian and military workforce. The state’s economy is deeply intertwined with federal spending, particularly in regions like Hampton Roads, home to a significant number of active-duty military personnel. The shutdown could jeopardize essential programs, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and affect operations at Virginia’s 22 national parks.

    The ripple effects would extend to the Washington, D.C., Metro system, which relies heavily on federal workers for ridership. With the Metro system already facing challenges in recovering from pandemic-related drops in usage, a shutdown could be another blow.

    “There’s no question that this is not a good thing for the country, but it’s certainly not a good thing for Metro specifically,” Randy Clarke, Metro’s general manager, said during a recent interview. “And the timing is really challenging because ridership is really starting to grow back. So, you know, we’re going to be watching this very closely, and we’re hoping that if

  • Newswire : In first major interview as Democratic nominee,VP Harris forcefully defends her record

    Tim Walz and VP Kamala Harris

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, made a strategic decision to sit down for her first major interview since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, selecting CNN as the platform despite the network’s heavily criticized moderation of the controversial June debate between Biden and former President Donald Trump.

    In that debate, CNN anchors were widely condemned for allowing Trump to spread untruths and disinformation unchecked. On Thursday, Aug. 29, Harris used that same network to set the record straight and present her vision for America alongside her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

    The interview in Georgia during their ongoing bus tour marked a critical moment for Harris, who has lit a fire under a once stagnant Democratic Party and galvanized donors as she’s taken the lead in almost every national poll. Dana Bash, who conducted the interview, opened by questioning Harris about her priorities if she were to win the presidency.

    Harris, clear and direct, outlined her immediate goals: “On day one, we’re going to bring down the cost of everyday goods, support small businesses, and invest in American families. We’re not going back—we’re moving forward.” Her response was a sharp contrast to Trump, who vowed that he’d be a dictator on day one.

    Walz, seated beside Harris, praised the proposed agenda, highlighting its practical success in Minnesota. “The child tax credit, for example, reduced childhood poverty by a third in our state. With a federal partner, the impact could be even greater,” Walz said.
    The discussion quickly pivoted to the economy, with Bash pressing Harris on why some Americans might, according to Bash, feel nostalgic for the economic conditions under Trump. Harris responded by highlighting the dire situation she and Biden inherited—a nation reeling from a pandemic, with millions of jobs lost and a collapsing economy. “We inherited a nation in crisis,” Harris said, recalling the early days of the Biden administration. “We’ve brought inflation down to under 3%, but we know prices, especially for groceries, are still too high. That’s why my agenda is focused on real solutions—tackling price gouging, investing in affordable housing, and providing a $25,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers.”

    Harris also addressed her past positions on fracking and immigration, clarifying that her views have evolved as she gained more office experience. On fracking, she stated clearly that while she once supported a ban, she now believes in a balanced approach that doesn’t jeopardize jobs in key sectors. “In 2020, I made my position clear and kept my word. My values haven’t changed, but my experience as vice president has shown me that we can achieve a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking,” Harris asserted.

    When the conversation turned to immigration, Harris didn’t hold back in criticizing Trump’s handling of the issue, particularly his role in blocking bipartisan efforts to secure the border. “We had a bill that would have added 1,500 agents to the border and increased fentanyl seizures, but Trump killed it because it didn’t serve his political interests,” Harris said. She pledged to sign that bill into law if elected, underscoring her commitment to enforcing immigration laws with the experience she gained as California’s attorney general.

    Bash also brought up Trump’s recent comment questioning Harris’s authenticity as a Black woman. Harris responded with a sharp dismissal, labeling it “the same old, tired playbook” and quickly shifting focus back to the issues.

    Despite the network’s poor performance during the June debate, Harris’s choice to give her first major interview to CNN was calculated. CNN’s moderators were widely criticized for failing to challenge Trump’s flood of misinformation, a decision that cast a long shadow over the network’s journalistic credibility. By engaging with CNN now, Harris signaled a willingness to confront her critics and take control of the narrative as she moves toward Election Day.

    In the interview’s more personal moments, Harris and Walz reflected on their families and the emotional support they received. Bash asked Harris about a viral photograph showing her grand niece watching her accept the Democratic nomination. Harris, visibly moved, said, “It’s humbling. This campaign is about what we can achieve together as a country. I’m running because I believe I’m the best person to lead this country forward—for all Americans.”

    Walz, when asked about his son Gus’s emotional reaction during his speech at the Democratic convention, underscored the importance of setting a positive example for the next generation. “To have my son feel that pride in me, to know I’m trying to do the right thing for our country—that’s what this is all about,” Walz said.

    As the interview closed, Harris made a powerful appeal to voters, framing the upcoming election as a critical turning point for the nation. “This election is about the kind of future we want to build,” she asserted. “Do we lift each other up, or do we tear each other down? I’m running because I believe in America’s potential to rise above division and hate. Together, we can turn the page on the last decade and write a new chapter in our nation’s history.”
     

  • Newswire: The Obamas rock Democratic Convention in Chicago

    Barack and Michelle Obama on stage at DNC

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    On the second day of the Democratic National Convention, the Obamas took center stage and delivered electrifying speeches that reverberated through the United Center in Chicago. The convention, already energized by a capacity crowd in Milwaukee where Vice President Kamala Harris spoke during a rally, reached new heights as the former First Lady and former President rallied Democrats with their powerful words.

    Harris, who spoke to a packed arena in Milwaukee, had her speech live streamed into the United Center, effectively connecting the two cities in a show of Democratic unity and strength. Her presence set the tone for the evening, with her words filling both venues.

    Michelle Obama took the stage before her husband in Chicago, immediately captivating the audience. “Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it? I’m talking about the contagious power of hope,” she declared as the United Center enthusiastically rocked. “America, hope is making a comeback. Kamala Harris is one of the most qualified people to ever seek the office of president. And she is dignified.”

    Obama didn’t shy away from addressing the twice-impeached and 34-times convicted felon and former President Donald Trump directly. “For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us,” she remarked. “His limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking and highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black. Who wants to tell him that job he’s seeking just might be one of those Black jobs?” she asked, eliciting raucous applause from the crowd.

    She continued to dismantle Trump’s rhetoric, particularly his attempts to question the blackness of Harris and other Democrats. “No one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American, no one,” Obama declared, her words striking a chord with the audience.

    Barack Obama then took the stage and immediately lifted the energy in the arena to a fever pitch. “I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling fired up,” he began, his voice booming across the United Center. “Even if I’m the only person stupid enough to speak right after Michelle Obama.”
    Obama then turned his focus to Harris, praising her as a leader who embodies the best of what America stands for. “This country has a chance to elect someone who’s spent her whole life trying to give people the same chances America gave her,” Obama said. “Someone who sees you and hears you and will get up every single day and fight for you: the next president of the United States of America, Kamala Harris.”

    He also drew a sharp contrast between Harris’s vision for the country and the policies of Trump and his allies. “For them, one group’s gain is another group’s loss. For them, freedom means that the powerful can do what they please, whether its firing workers trying to organize a union, poisoning our rivers, or avoiding paying taxes like everyone else has to do,” he said, highlighting the fundamental differences in their approaches to leadership.

    Throughout the night, other prominent Democrats joined the Obamas in rallying the crowd. Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth delivered a searing critique of Trump’s attacks on reproductive rights. “I take it personally when a five-time draft-dodging coward like Donald Trump tries to take away my rights and freedoms in return—especially when it concerns my daughters,” Duckworth said.

    Maryland Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks reflected on her close relationship with Harris, emphasizing the vice president’s dedication to justice and public safety. “Kamala Harris knows how to keep criminals off the streets,” Alsobrooks said. “And come November, with our help, she’ll keep one out of the Oval Office,” a line that drew loud cheers from the Chicago crowd.
    New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham contrasted Harris’s healthcare policies with Trump’s, criticizing the former president’s attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. “Donald Trump and JD Vance want to dismantle our healthcare system, repeal the Affordable Care Act, and eliminate protections for preexisting conditions. Either these guys don’t get it, or they don’t care,” Grisham said.

    Barack Obama left the crowd with a final, resonant message: “If we work like we’ve never worked before, we will elect Kamala Harris as the next president and Tim Walz as the next vice president. And together, we too will build a country that is more secure, more just, more equal, and free.”

     

  • Newswire : Kamala Harris’s campaign soars with unprecedented momentum after Democratic Convention

    VP Kamala Harris campaigning for President

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The electricity in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention remains undeniable. Still, the real story is how Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has sent shockwaves far beyond the United Center, energizing battleground states that will decide the 2024 election. What was once a campaign facing significant challenges has transformed into a dynamic, unstoppable force. Harris now leads in most national and battleground state polls—a stunning development achieved in just over a month.

    In an email, Harris-Walz Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said the Chicago convention had ignited the most significant organizing push since the campaign’s sudden launch. Dillon said volunteers recently contacted over 1 million voters in just a few short days. She noted that the surge in volunteer engagement “is a clear indicator of the campaign’s growing strength” as it heads into September with a formidable ground game.

    In tandem with the volunteer surge, the Harris-Walz campaign has shattered fundraising records, raising an unprecedented $540 million in just over a month—setting a new high-water mark in American political history. During the convention week alone, grassroots contributions crossed the $500 million threshold just before Harris’s acceptance speech. Dillon said the momentum didn’t stop there; immediately following her address, the campaign experienced its best fundraising hour since launch day.

    What’s even more remarkable is the diversity of Harris’s donor base. A third of the week’s donations came from first-time contributors, nearly one-fifth of those being young voters. Two-thirds of the young contributors are women, a critical demographic that could prove decisive in November. Additionally, according to Dillon, teachers and nurses continue to be among the most common donor occupations, underscoring the broad and deep support that Harris has cultivated.

    Dillon stated that the campaign’s unprecedented fundraising totals reflect the combined efforts of Harris for President, the Democratic National Committee, and joint fundraising committees.

    The convention also marked a significant outreach effort to conservative and independent voters, featuring six Republican speakers on stage and several more in videos, including former Trump administration officials—more than any previous Democratic convention. The event became the one history’s most bipartisan national political gathering. Notably, conservative legal scholar Judge J. Michael Luttig, a George H.W. Bush appointee, joined a dozen Republican lawyers who served under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush in endorsing Harris. They joined the growing list of Republicans, including Congressman Joe Walsh, Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, and Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who have publicly supported Harris.

    Dillon said organizers are now gearing up to engage voters on critical issues such as reproductive freedom, the cost of living, and Social Security and Medicare protection. This week, Harris and Walz will embark on a bus tour through South Georgia, their first joint campaign event in the state. With its diverse mix of rural, suburban, and urban communities, including a significant proportion of Black voters and working-class families, this region epitomizes the Harris-Walz coalition. The tour will culminate in a rally in Savannah, where Harris will directly address Georgians about the upcoming election’s stakes.

    The Harris-Walz campaign is also making significant investments in paid outreach. The campaign launched a new TV ad across battleground states, highlighting Harris’s economic vision and her commitment to building an opportunity economy where everyone who works hard can get ahead. The ad is part of August’s $150 million television buy, with $370 million in television and digital reservations.

    “Headed into Labor Day, our campaign is using those resources and enthusiasm to build on our momentum, taking no voters for granted and communicating relentlessly with battleground voters every single day between now and Election Day—all the while, Trump is focused on very little beyond online tantrums and attacking the voters critical to winning 270 electoral votes,” Dillon remarked.
     

  • Newswire : Leading Democratic women excoriate Trump during fiery DNC speeches

    Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas

    By Stacy M. Brown
 NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     

    CHICAGO — At the Democratic National Convention, a cadre of leading Democratic women took the stage, unleashing a barrage of critiques against Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, framed by the Republicans’ notorious record on women’s issues. The stark differences in vision and values of the twice-impeached and 34-times convicted former president, his vice-presidential nominee, and Vice President Kamala Harris and her surrogates were on full display in Chicago.
    Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opened with a searing take on Trump’s legal woes. “Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial,” Clinton recounted to an amused crowd. “When he woke up, he’d made his own kind of history — the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.” The statement sparked a wave of laughter and wild applause, leading to chants of “Lock him up!” echoing the irony of Trump’s previous attacks on her.
    “We have him on the run now,” Clinton declared. “But no matter what the polls say, we can’t give up.”
    Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas highlighted the divergent paths of Harris and Trump. “One candidate worked at McDonald’s while she was in college at an HBCU. The other was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and helped his daddy in the family business: Housing discrimination,” Crockett said, sparking boisterous applause from the audience. She continued, “She became a career prosecutor, while he became a career criminal, with 34 felonies, two impeachments, and one porn star to prove it.”
    Reflecting on her early days in Congress, Crockett shared a personal testimony about Harris’ influence. “When I first got to Congress, I wasn’t sure I made the right decision,” she admitted. “That chaos caucus couldn’t elect a speaker, and the Oversight Committee was unhinged.”
    Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York also critically panned Trump’s priorities. “We know Trump would sell this country for a dollar if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing palms of his Wall Street friends,” Ocasio-Cortez asserted. Her speech vividly championed Harris as a beacon for working Americans. “To love this country is to fight for its people — all people, working people, everyday Americans like bartenders and factory workers and fast-food cashiers who punch a clock and are on their feet all day in some of the toughest jobs out there.”
    Ocasio-Cortez then stirred the thousands of delegates with a forward-looking promise: “America, when we knock on our neighbor’s door, organize our communities, and elect Kamala Harris to the presidency on November 5, we will send a loud message that the people of this nation will not go back. We choose a new path and open the door to a new day: one that is for the people and by the people.”

     

  • Newswire: Harris has support of enough Democratic delegates to become party’s presidential nominee

    Vice President Kamala Harris

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party’s nominee against Republican Donald Trump, according to an Associated Press survey, as top Democrats rallied to her in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his bid for reelection.
    The quick coalescing behind Harris marked an attempt by the party to put weeks of internecine drama over Biden’s political future behind them and to unify behind the task of defeating Trump with just over 100 days until Election Day. Prominent Democratic elected officials, party leaders and political organizations quickly lined up behind Harris in the day after Biden’s exit from the race and her campaign set a new 24-hour record for presidential donations on Monday.
    Several state delegations met late Monday to confirm their support for Harris, including Texas and her home state of California. By Monday night, Harris had the support of well more than the 1,976 delegates she’ll need to win on a first ballot, according to the AP tally. No other candidate was named by a delegate contacted by the AP.
    California state Democratic Chairman Rusty Hicks said 75% to 80% of the state’s delegation were on a call Tuesday and they unanimously supported Harris.
    “I’ve not heard anyone mentioning or calling for any other candidate,” Hicks said. “Tonight’s vote was a momentous one.”
    Still, the AP is not calling Harris the new presumptive nominee. That’s because the convention delegates are still free to vote for the candidate of their choice at the convention in August or if Democrats go through with a virtual roll call ahead of that gathering in Chicago.
    Harris, in a statement, responded to the AP tally, saying she is “grateful to President Biden and everyone in the Democratic Party who has already put their faith in me, and I look forward to taking our case directly to the American people.”
    Worries over Biden’s fitness for office were replaced by fresh signs of unity after a seismic shift to the presidential contest that upended both major political parties’ carefully honed plans for the 2024 race.
    Speaking to campaign staff in Wilmington, Delaware, Harris acknowledged the “rollercoaster” of the last several weeks but expressed confidence in her new campaign team. “It is my intention to go out and earn this nomination and to win,” she said. She promised to “unite our Democratic Party, to unite our nation, and to win this election.”
    She quickly leaned into the themes that will be prominent in her campaign against Trump over the coming 100 days, contrasting her time as a prosecutor with Trump’s felony convictions — “I know Donald Trump’s type,” she said — and casting herself as a defender of economic opportunity and abortion access. “Our fight for the future is also a fight for freedoms,” she said. “The baton is in our hands.”
    The president called into the meeting from his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he is recovering from COVID-19, to lend his support to Harris. He planned to talk about his decision to step aside in an address to the nation later this week. “The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn’t changed at all,” Biden said in his first public remarks since announcing his decision to step aside, promising he was “not going anywhere” and plans to campaign on Harris’ behalf.
    Biden said of his decision, “It was the right thing to do.” As he handed off the mantle of leadership to Harris, Biden added: “I’m watching you kid. I love you.”
    Harris was headed to the battleground state of Wisconsin on Tuesday as her campaign for the White House kicks into high gear. The event in Milwaukee will be her first full-fledged campaign event since announcing her candidacy.
    The AP tally is based on interviews with individual delegates, public statements from state parties, many of which have announced that their delegations are supporting Harris en masse, and public statements and endorsements from individual delegates.
    Locking up the nomination was only the first item on the staggering political to-do list for Harris after learning of Biden’s plans to leave the race Sunday morning on a call with the president. She must also pick a running mate and pivot a massive political operation that had been built to reelect Biden to boost her candidacy instead.
    On Sunday afternoon, Biden’s campaign formally changed its name to Harris for President, reflecting that she is inheriting his political operation of more than 1,000 staffers and war chest that stood at nearly $96 million at the end of June. She added $81 million to that total in the first 24 hours after Biden’s endorsement, her campaign said — a presidential fundraising record — with contributions from more than 888,000 donors.
    The campaign also saw a surge of interest after Harris took over, with more than 28,000 new volunteers registered since the announcement — a rate more than 100 times an average day from the previous Biden reelection campaign, underscoring the enthusiasm behind Harris.
    Big-name Harris endorsements Monday, including from Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Andy Beshear of Kentucky, left a vanishing list of potential rivals. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who had been one of the notable holdouts, initially encouraging a primary to strengthen the eventual nominee, said she was lending her “enthusiastic support” to Harris’ effort to lead the party.
    Harris, if elected, would be the first woman and first person of South Asian descent to be president.
    The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to be held Aug. 19-22 in Chicago, but the party had announced before Biden dropped out that it would hold a virtual roll call to formally nominate Biden before in-person proceedings begin. The convention’s rules committee is scheduled to meet this week to finalize its nomination process with a virtual vote as soon as Aug. 1, the party announced on Monday, with the process completed by Aug. 7.
    “We can and will be both fast and fair as we execute this nomination,” Jaime Harrison, the Democratic National Committee’s chair, said on a conference call with reporters. The party said the virtual roll call would feature multiple rounds of voting on nominees if multiple candidates meet the qualification threshold. To qualify, candidates must have the electronic signatures of 300 convention delegates.

  • Newswire : Biden and Harris fight back against House Republicans’ budget threatening health care

    Patient being counseled at medical facility

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    Resolute in their stand against the recent budget proposal by House Republicans, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are intensifying their efforts to lower healthcare costs and safeguard crucial provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid, and Medicare.

    In a Fact Sheet, the White House noted that Biden and Harris underscored the administration’s commitment during a visit to North Carolina, where they outlined a comprehensive strategy to make health care more affordable for all Americans.

    “The draconian measures in the Republican budget, which the Republican Study Committee created and which the House Republican leadership supported, have alarmed people because they could destroy crucial health care programs,” administration officials said. Among its provisions, the budget seeks to slash a staggering $4.5 trillion from the ACA, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, potentially leaving millions of Americans without access to essential health coverage.
    Key aspects of the Republican budget include eliminating funding for the ACA’s Marketplace and Medicaid expansion, jeopardizing coverage for over 45 million individuals. Furthermore, the proposed transformation of Medicaid into block grants “could imperil the health care of an additional 60 million Americans, leading to increased difficulty in qualifying for coverage and potential cuts to critical benefits,” officials argued.
    The budget threatens the well-being of seniors and individuals with disabilities by proposing cuts to Medicaid home care services and nursing home payments, which could result in diminished care quality and longer waitlists for essential services.
    In addition to dismantling crucial consumer protections established by the ACA, such as coverage for pre-existing conditions and prohibitions against insurance company abuses, officials said the Republican budget would also convert Medicare into a “premium support” program, potentially raising premiums for millions of seniors and exacerbating prescription drug costs.
    “Contrary to this regressive agenda, President Biden and Vice President Harris are staunch advocates for expanding access to affordable health care,” officials asserted. “Under their leadership, a record-breaking 21 million Americans have enrolled in ACA coverage this year, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to extend health care to more citizens.”
    The White House argued that the administration’s initiatives have yielded tangible benefits, including average annual savings of $800 per individual on health insurance premiums. They claimed that the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which Biden championed, has given Medicare the authority to negotiate lower prescription drug costs, ensuring that seniors and people with disabilities can access affordable medications.
    Biden and Harris insisted they are committed to further lowering healthcare costs and enhancing coverage for all Americans. Their proposed measures include:
    Making premium tax credits permanent.
    Expanding Medicaid coverage in states that have not adopted expansion.
    Investing in home care services to address wait lists for older adults and individuals with disabilities.

    White House officials said the president and vice president’s agenda prioritizes mental health care access, consumer protection against surprise medical bills, and crackdowns on unwarranted fees in health care services. By advocating for Medicare to negotiate drug prices for at least 50 drugs annually and capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, the administration aims to alleviate financial burdens on individuals while safeguarding the integrity of health care programs.
    In contrast to the Republican budget’s assault on health care, officials asserted that Biden and Harris remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting and strengthening vital health care programs for generations to come. “By ensuring that the wealthy contribute their fair share and dedicating savings from Medicare reforms to the program’s sustainability, they seek to uphold the fundamental right to accessible and affordable health care for all Americans,” officials said.

     

     

  • Vice President Kamala Harris speaks in Selma on59th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ calling for ceasefire in Gaza and renewal of voting rights struggle in America

    -21st Century Leader Justin Morton speaks at Martin & Coretta King Unity BreakfastVice -President Kamala Harris addressing crowd of thousands at Bridge in Selma

    -L to R: John Zippert, Coumba Toure Ba, Maria Diarra Keita, Carol Zippert

    -US Representative James Clyburn with other congressional colleagues at Unity Breakfast

    -Maria Diarra Keita and Faya Rose Toure at Unity Breakfast

    -During their medal ceremony in the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City on October 16, 1968, two African-American athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, each raised a black-gloved fist during the playing of the US national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Shown above Tommie Smith seated and Hank Sanders at Unity Breakfast.

    Speaking at the foot of the bridge in Selma, on the 59th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ in 1965, Vice President Kamala Harris called for an immediate ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas War in Gaza and for a renewal of the voting rights struggle in America.

    Harris said that she had to begin her speech with the “humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Children are dying. Too many innocent people have been killed. People are starving, conditions are inhumane.” She said, “While Israeli security is our goal, we must call for an immediate ceasefire, to allow for assistance to flow to the people of Gaza, who have been suffering in a war between a terrorist organization, Hamas, and the Israeli government.”

    Harris urged both sides in the war to come to the table and accept an immediate ceasefire, which would allow humanitarian aid to flow into the beleaguered people of Gaza and result in a return of the hostages taken by Hamas at the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023.

    The Vice President then shifted her attention to the on-going voting rights struggle in America. She said she had returned to the bridge in Selma, with other members of the Biden Administration cabinet and administration, to celebrate the victory for voting rights, equality and overcoming fear and violence, that the original marchers 59 years ago had endured.

    She noted the retreat on voting rights and sections 4,5, and 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act since the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby vs. Holder and subsequent decisions. She lamented the hundreds of state legislative voter suppression laws that have occurred since that time.

    Harris endorsed efforts to pass in Congress the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, which would restore and strengthen the voting rights protections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
    “We must continue our struggle for the sacred right to vote in the face of our opponents who want to destroy the basis of our democracy and democratic institutions,” said Harris.

    The Vice President was accompanied to Selma by Attorney General Merrick Garland, Secretary of HUD Marcia Fudge, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Tanya J. Bradsher – Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
    Xochiti Torres Small – Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Kristen Clarke – Deputy Secretary of the Department of Justice, and others. Several of these officials gave greetings and made remarks before the Vice President spoke.

    Local Dallas County officials and civil rights leaders including former State Senator Hank Sanders and Charles Steele addressed the crowd as well. After her speech, Vice President Harris joined others in leading the reenactment of the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.

    The bridge reenactment was one of more than forty events held in Selma during the weeklong “Bridge Crossing Jubilee” that drew thousands to the largest commemoration of voting rights, civil rights, and social justice in America. Persons who wish to support the ongoing work of the Bridge Crossing Jubilee in Selma, leading up to next year’s 60th anniversary, should Text 53555 Selma60, to contribute and get on the invitation list.

  • Tens of Thousands Expected to Attend The 2024 Bridge Crossing Jubilee: The Jubilee has Something for Everyone!

     

    The Bridge Crossing Commemoration and Jubilee’s 2024 Theme is Return to the Bridge: Democracy and the Vote are at Stake. In 2023, President Joe Biden was a special guest at the Bridge Crossing Commemoration in Selma, addressing the thousands of attendees at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, prior to the annual bridge crossing. The previous year, Vice President Kamala Harris was the special guest. According to Jubilee organizers, plans are still in the works to attract noteworthy presenters to address the theme in these critical times in the nation when Democracy and voting rights are at stake.
    The Annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee features dozens and dozens of events beginning on Monday, February 26th and running through Sunday, March 3rd. There is something for everyone at this year’s Jubilee! The working kickoff of the Jubilee are Kingian Nonviolence Seminars at the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth & Reconciliation led by Civil Rights Legend Dr. Bernard Lafayette. These seminars are open to the public and run from Monday, February 26th, through Thursday, March 1st, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.
    The ceremonial kickoff of the Jubilee is the Old Fashioned Mass Meeting at Tabernacle Baptist Church on Thursday, February 29th, at 7:00 p.m. Dr. David Peoples, President of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, is the keynote speaker at the Mass Meeting at Tabernacle, the site of the original Mass Meetings. Dr. Peoples will also be participating with other ministers at the Ministers of Justice Roundtable earlier that day at Tabernacle at 1:00 p.m. The Voting Rights History Bowl takes place at Tipton Middle School from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. that same day.
    There will be Education Summits on Thursday, March 1st, and on Friday, March 2nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day at Wallace Community College Selma. These and most other events are also free to the public. The Mock Trial at the Dallas County Courthouse, an annual favorite for many, is Friday, March 2nd, from 4:00 to 6;00 p.m. Each year the public participates on juries.
    The Original Foot Soldiers share their stories at the Annual Foot Soldier Breakfast on Saturday, March 2nd. at 8:00 a.m. at Selma High School. This is a truly special event with living history being shared and the public encouraged to attend. This year’s Freedom Flame Awards take place later that day at 7:00 p.m. at Selma High School. One of the award recipients is one of “The Tennessee Three,” Tennessee State Representative Gloria Johnson.
    The Martin & Coretta King Unity Breakfast kicks off the events of Bloody Sunday on March 3rd. The Unity Breakfast is from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. at Wallace Community College Selma. There will be numerous national Civil Rights Speakers. Those receiving Unity Awards this year include four of the original Freedom Singers and Maria Diarra Keita of Mali, West Africa as well as Hosea Williams, whose daughter will be accepting the award for him posthumously. More information will be released as it develops.