Harris pledges to sign bill ‘to restore reproductive freedom’ as president in Wisconsin speech
Vice President Kamala Harris suggested she would sign federal abortion protections into law during a speech in Wisconsin on Thursday evening.
"One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree, the government shouldn't be telling her what to do with her body," Harris said, referring to women.
"When Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom nationwide, as President of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law."
Harris has made abortion rights a cornerstone of her 2024 campaign, and has spoken on the issue frequently in her capacity as President Biden’s vice president.
Democrats are hoping that continued fallout from the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022 will be a potent political cudgel in November. In the previous midterm races, it was partially credited with aiding them in keeping the Senate and blunting Republicans’ margin of victory in the House.
Harris said on Wednesday evening that Trump "would ban abortion nationwide" and likewise institute a ban on contraceptives – both stances the ex-president has explicitly denied.
JON STEWART ADMITS HE FINDS WIDELY CRITICIZED TRUMP RALLY COMEDIAN FUNNY
While Democratic lawmakers have rallied around federal abortion legislation to codify it into law, Republicans have insisted it’s an issue best left up to the states.
Moderate GOP lawmakers facing tough re-election battles have emphasized that they would not support any federal abortion bans.
Abortion-related issues are on the ballot in several states in the November elections, including the battleground states of Nevada and Arizona. Democrats hope it will be a motivator for people who are normally apathetic to elections to turn out and vote blue.
"Ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom. Freedom, like the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do," Harris said Wednesday.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) slammed Harris before her appearance in battleground Wisconsin, with Chairman Michael Whatley saying in a statement, "Harris’ vision for Wisconsin is an even more dangerously liberal version of the past four years. Kamala Harris broke Wisconsin’s economy, but President Trump will fix it."