Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Arizona on Friday, the White House announced Tuesday, shortly after the state Supreme Court upheld a near-total abortion ban. Harris will travel to Tucson, the White House said in an advisory, “to continue her leadership in the fight for reproductive freedoms.” It noted that it will be the vice president’s second trip to Arizona this year and her fifth time since being sworn in.
Quick Read
- Arizona Visit Announced: Vice President Kamala Harris is set to travel to Tucson, Arizona, marking her continued advocacy for reproductive rights following the state Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a near-total abortion ban.
- Focus on Reproductive Freedoms: The trip is part of Harris’ ongoing efforts to address and challenge restrictive abortion laws across the U.S., highlighting the impact on women’s health and the criminalization of healthcare providers.
- Nationwide Advocacy Tour: Harris’ visit to Arizona is a continuation of her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour, which has included stops in multiple states, emphasizing the importance of reproductive rights in the current political landscape.
- Post-Roe v. Wade Engagement: Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Harris has intensified her focus on reproductive rights, participating in over 80 events in 20 states to advocate for women’s access to reproductive healthcare.
- Arizona’s Historical Abortion Ban: The Arizona Supreme Court’s recent ruling enforces a 160-year-old law, imposing severe penalties on those who perform or facilitate abortions, with limited exceptions for the woman’s life, reflecting the broader national debate on abortion rights.
- Electoral Implications: The Biden administration and Democratic Party view the defense of reproductive rights as a crucial issue for the upcoming general election, leveraging opposition to abortion bans as a key strategy to mobilize voters.
The Associated Press has the story:
Harris will travel to Arizona after state SCOUT revives 19th century abortion ban
Newslooks- WASHINGTON- (AP)
Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Arizona on Friday, the White House announced Tuesday, shortly after the state Supreme Court upheld a near-total abortion ban. Harris will travel to Tucson, the White House said in an advisory, “to continue her leadership in the fight for reproductive freedoms.” It noted that it will be the vice president’s second trip to Arizona this year and her fifth time since being sworn in.
“Last month, the Vice President visited Phoenix, AZ to highlight how extremists in states across the country have proposed and enacted abortion bans that threaten women’s health, force them to travel out of state to receive care, and criminalize doctors,” the White House said.
The White House said that the trip was part of Harris’ nationwide “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour “that included stops in Wisconsin, California, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, and Minnesota.”
Since the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Harris has held more than 80 events on reproductive rights in 20 states, the White House added.
The announcement about her upcoming trip came just about an hour after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that a 160-year-old near-total abortion ban still on the books in the state could be enforced. Under the law from 1864, anyone who performs the procedure or helps a woman access that care could face felony charges and up to two to five years in prison. The law — which was codified in 1901, and again in 1913 — includes an exception to save the woman’s life.
President Joe Biden, Harris and Democrats in general are hoping that existing abortion bans and threats to expand them nationwide will help them win their races in this November’s general election.
