Remarks by Vice President Harris in Press Gaggle | Battle Creek, MI
Duncan Aviation
Battle Creek, Michigan
1:48 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Okay. I know you all have been asking about the status of our conversations around Iran and Israel. And a couple of hours ago, I got off of a — a lengthy and important conversation with the president and our national security team. And, of course, we maintain the importance of supporting Israel’s right to defend itself, and we are also very adamant that we must see de-escalation in the region going forward, and that will be our focus.
In terms of Texas, it was a very good trip. As I said, the reason for being there — there were many — most importantly, that there are a lot of people in Texas who have been suffering under what I call draconian laws as it relates to how they’ve been treating women and their right to reproductive freedom.
It was also and is ground zero in terms of one of the most draconian laws in the whole country that have come about because of Donald Trump and what he did to select three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade.
And I’m here now in Kalamazoo and in Michigan to talk with the folks here about their priority around ensuring that this election produces a president of the United States who honors and protects a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.
I’m about to go and meet with some of the physicians who are on the front lines of this issue, who are addressing the harm that has resulted from these Trump abortion bans but also doing the work in terms of advocacy, with a great deal of courage, to highlight to the American people what, I think, for some are really unintended consequences as a result of the undoing of Roe v. Wade.
I’m happy to take your questions.
Q When it comes to abortion rights and talking with the providers today, what can we expect from those conversations? And will we hear more of that in your speech tonight with
former First Lady Michelle Obama?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Yeah. Well, like I said even last night, what — and I’ve been meeting with health care providers for the last few years, since the Dodd decision came down. They are a combination of doing their work in fear of being jailed —
We are saying that, for example, medical students are now more reluctant than ever to go into reproductive health care fields for fear that they could be criminalized.
We are seeing the impact of these laws causing clinics — health care clinics to shut down. Those clinics that, yes, provide abortion care but also paps, breast cancer screenings, HIV testing.
And so, the physicians that I’ve been talking with are concerned about this myriad of issues that have highlighted the fact that because of Trump and what he did with the Supreme Court, we are looking at a health care crisis in America, which is affecting people of every background and gender.
Q Ma’am, on Iran, on the Middle East. There are
reports from the U.N. that about one in five Lebanese people are now displaced because of the ongoing war. You said esc- — de-escalation is the goal. Why are — why is the U.S. and Israel not aligned in that goal in terms of the conflict in the region?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, we’ve been very clear with everyone in the region — and, in fact, that’s why Tony Blinken was there for several days this week — that we want to work toward ending this war. This war must end. We must get the hostages out and work toward a two-state solution.
And we do believe strongly that, as it relates to Lebanon and — and the region, that part of the strength of our work is the diplomatic work we will do to reach that end.
Q What are we hearing —
Q Ma’am, can I follow up on the — on the —
AIDE: Go ahead, Darlene.
Q What is the administration hearing from Arab allies about the Israeli strikes? And can you say whether the strikes made it less likely that Iran will be able to attack Israel again in the future?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: What I can say is that it is a consensus among leaders in the region and certainly it is the strong perspective of the United States that there must be de-escalation and not an escalation of activities in that region.
Q Ma’am — ma’am, to expand on that, what — what is your message to Iran specifically, as they consider a potential retaliation?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Listen, we feel very — I feel very strongly — we as the United States feel very strongly that Iran must stop what it is doing in terms of the threat that it presents to the region. And we will always defend Israel against any attacks by Iran in that way.
END 1:53 P.M. EDT
