VP Harris urges audience in Texas to pushback against abortion bans

Vice President Kamala Harris addressed an audience of 140 people at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, most of whom are students at The University of Texas.

Harris was introduced on stage by Mini Timmaraju, who is the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Timmaraju said “the fight for our fundamental rights, including the right to abortion and contraception, has never been more urgent in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. 14 states and counting are enforcing extreme or total bans on abortion. And we know these anti-choice extremists won’t stop.”

Harris made her speech on Saturday where she urged the audience to fight against Texas’ “immoral” abortion ban.  

“There’s an election in 31 days, and it will matter,” Harris said, per the Texas Tribune. “It’s going to matter who your county prosecutor is if you live in a place where there’s a state law that has criminalized doctors and nurses and health care providers. It’s going to matter who your attorney general is” and “who your governor is.”

Harris used a lot of her stage time to criticize the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson case, which overturned Roe v. Wade.

“The United States Supreme Court just took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America, from the women of America,” Harris said. “While extremists — so-called leaders — trumpet the rhetoric of freedom, they attack the very foundations of freedom.”

She then hit out at Texas leaders for passing laws restricting abortion, the Tribune reported. Harris referred to them as “the ones passing laws making it difficult for people in the states to vote.”

Harris later said that “One of those people is the governor of this very state.” Harris claimed that, even prior to Roe v. Wade being overturned, GOP leaders in Texas had the “most radical, most anti-women laws in the country.”

Harris also said that the end of the Roe was not the end for the GOP.

“Where do we think this is heading? Justice Clarence Thomas said the quiet part out loud. Contraception is on the line. Marriage equality is on the line. With Republican party leaders in charge, health care is on the line,” Harris claimed.