Press Release
☷Remarks by Vice President Harris During the “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” Tour | Savannah GA
White House ( By Press Release office)
Feb 08,2024
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Hey Savannah! It ' s great to be back in Georgia . Thank you all for being here . Let ' s give a round of applause to President McDonald and all the amazing work he ' s done . And a big thank you to our mayor for his support and leadership . We also have to recognize Senator Warnock and Senator Ossoff for always fighting for the people of this state . To all the leaders here , thank you for upholding the important ideal of freedom . Freedom is what makes America great - freedom of speech , worship , assembly , and the freedom to vote . And let ' s not forget the freedom to make decisions about our own bodies . Unfortunately , the Supreme Court took away that right in the case of Roe vs . Wade . Extremists in many states , including Georgia , have passed laws that punish doctors and threaten women ' s healthcare . These laws have no exceptions , not even for rape and incest . It ' s a tough conversation , but we need to face reality . Think about this: the number of women affected by this , it ' s hard to talk about , guys . But this is the reality of what ' s happening in our country . THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thanks . So , this is a healthcare crisis . And in that sense , this moment is not hypothetical . Today , more than one in three women of reproductive age live in a state with an abortion ban , including over 2 . 5 million right here in Georgia . Let ' s truly understand the terrible reality that women face every day since the Roe decision was overturned . Folks , I ' ve met women who had miscarriages in unsanitary conditions because they were denied care . I ' ve met a woman who went to an emergency room during a miscarriage and was repeatedly turned away out of fear that the doctors would be jailed for helping her . It was only when she developed sepsis that she finally received care . THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thanks . Thanks . Thanks everyone . Thanks . Thanks everyone . AUDIENCE: Kamala! Kamala! Kamala! THE VICE PRESIDENT: It ' s okay . Back in high school , I found out that one of my best friends was being molested by her stepfather . And when I found out , I immediately told her , "You have to come stay with us . " I called my mom and she said , "Of course she has to stay with us . " And she did . So , the idea that someone who survives a violent crime , a violation of their body , would be told that they don ' t have the authority to decide what happens to their body next , that ' s just wrong . And let ' s all agree on this: You don ' t have to abandon your faith or beliefs to agree that the government shouldn ' t be dictating what a woman does with her body . If she wants , she can consult with her pastor , priest , rabbi , or imam . But it shouldn ' t be the government making that decision . Since this case came down , it ' s estimated that tens of thousands of women who became pregnant due to rape are currently living in a state with a complete abortion ban . Let ' s think about what this really means . In Georgia , women are facing a six - week abortion ban , which is before many women even realize they ' re pregnant . It ' s either these lawmakers don ' t understand how a woman ' s body works or they simply don ' t care . And in Georgia , unless a woman files a police report , there are no exceptions for rape or incest if they want to get an abortion after six weeks . They need permission . So , let ' s break this down . She would have to walk into a police department , possibly facing someone she knows in a small town , and be questioned about the crime she went through , even if she doesn ' t want to talk about it . She would be required to report on someone , potentially putting herself in more harm , just because she wants to make a decision about her own body . Think about what this means . And for many of these women , in order to get the care they need , they have to leave Georgia , leaving behind their home , family , and friends who could support them during this difficult time , and travel to a state that protects reproductive freedom . And guess what? The only state in the South without an abortion ban is Virginia , which is a six - hour drive from here in Savannah . Now , the majority of women who have abortions are actually mothers . So , let ' s understand what this really means . For her to travel for care , she would need paid leave or affordable childcare , which may not be the case for everyone . God help her if she doesn ' t have the money to buy a plane , train , or bus ticket , or to book a hotel room . And let ' s not forget , while these extremists claim they care about the health and well - being of women and children , they have conveniently ignored the crisis of maternal mortality . Georgia has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the country , and black women are disproportionately affected . The top ten states with the highest rates of maternal mortality all have abortion bans . The hypocrisy is astounding . So , Georgia , we need to recognize the immense harm that is being caused by the current state of the law . The reality in our country right now is that there are so many stories we don ' t hear . Countless women are silently suffering , feeling judged and alone . But as a nation , that ' s not what we stand for . We see these women , we see their strength , and we ' re here with them . And let ' s be clear about who is to blame for this healthcare crisis . Former President Donald Trump hand - picked Supreme Court justices to overturn Roe v . Wade and take away women ' s freedoms . He ' s proud of it . He ' s proud that women are suffering , that they ' ve lost a fundamental freedom , and that doctors could be thrown in prison for providing care . He ' s proud that young women have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers . It ' s outrageous . But the fight isn ' t over . Extremists in Congress tried to pass a national abortion ban , but President Joe Biden will veto it . Because here ' s the thing: we trust women . We trust them to make decisions about their bodies and know what ' s best for themselves . And women trust us to fight for their rights and protect their freedoms . It ' s going to take all of us , and we ' re ready . We ' re fighting in court to protect women ' s access to medication and emergency care , strengthening patient privacy protections , and defending the right to travel for abortion care . We ' re also fighting for access to free contraception . Yes , we ' re ready . So here ' s the deal: If we really want to protect reproductive freedoms , we need to bring back the protections of Roe . The Supreme Court may have taken them away , but Congress can put them back in place . We just need a majority in Congress who agree that the government shouldn ' t be making personal decisions for people . And once Congress passes a law to restore those protections , Joe Biden will sign it . So yeah , it ' s going to take all of us to make this happen . But the good news is , we ' re making progress . Every time reproductive freedom has been up for a vote , the American people have chosen freedom . It doesn ' t matter if you ' re from a red state or a blue state , people are standing up for their fundamental rights . And let me tell you , this isn ' t a partisan issue . It ' s about millions of Americans coming together to defend our freedoms . So , Georgia , are you ready to make your voices heard? Do we trust women? Do we believe in reproductive freedom? Do we believe in the promise of America? And are we ready to fight for it? Because when we fight , we win! Thank you all , and God bless America .
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