Madam Vice President: Harris Could Be Unapologetic Tie-Breaker on Key Issues
Fan or foe, this is undebatable: Kamala Harris is breaking new ground.
On January 20, 2021, Harris became the 46th vice president of the United States, the first woman to ever hold the title. She is also the first Black vice president, the first South Asian descent vice president, and the first vice president-elect to do a victory lap to "Work That" by Mary J. Blige. What else can we expect over the next four years?
During her short tenure. Vice President Harris has attended nearly all key administration meetings to-date and has been identified as the "final voice" on a multitude of matters. Given the prediction that her tie-breaker vote in the Senate will define her vice presidency, here is an overview of Harris' anticipated position on various issues.
Pandemic Relief. As a senator, Harris supported $2,000 monthly stimulus checks, a one-year ban on evictions and foreclosures, and a prohibition on raising rents. Top concerns now include small business relief and restructuring the federal government's handling of personal protection equipment (PPE) and vaccination, including vaccine skepticism.
Health Care. Harris' support of the Affordable Care Act and universal coverage is well known. She also advocates for expanded mental health care. As California's attorney general, Harris was extensively involved in antitrust matters and scrutinizing pay-for-delay practices in which companies allegedly paid competitors to delay the introduction of generic pharmaceuticals.
Women and Family. Harris is pro- choice, has supported taxpayer-funded reproductive health care, and has announced a plan to close the nationwide rape kit backlog. Also on her agenda is an "Equal Pay Certified" designation for large companies to address the gender pay gap. Harris has proposed expanding paid family leave and has detailed a plan for legislation under which families earning under 150 percent of a state's median income would not spend more than 7 percent of their income on child care.
Criminal Justice Reform and Gun Policy. Harris is largely aligned with her party regarding law enforcement reform but has stopped short of advocating police defunding. She supports the national legalization of marijuana, increased regulation of gun manufacturers, and mandatory background checks. Harris favors a ban on assault weapons and high- capacity magazines.
Income and Wealth Distribution. Harris supports a $15 per hour minimum wage. investment in STEM education, particularly for minorities, and tax credits for the middle-class.
Climate Change. This is a key concern for the Biden administration. Harris was a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, a policy paper aimed at tackling climate change. and she introduced a climate equity bill seeking to address how environmental laws affect lower-income economies. Harris opposes fracking and has outlined a plan to achieve net-zero emissions. She supported rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement.
Immigration. Harris, a child of immigrants, has pledged to offer a path to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants. In the past, she has supported decriminalizing border crossing and providing taxpayer- funded health care. In addition, the Biden administration has signed an Executive Order to once again count non-citizens in the U.S. census.
Foreign Affairs. Harris has spoken extensively about U.S. relations with China, Iran, Syria and North Korea, criticizing the prior administration for its relationship with North Korea and the withdrawal of troops from Syria. Her first weeks as vice president included numerous conversations with the prime minister of Canada.
Putting party politics aside, just as Kamala Harris has acknowledged the women who came before her, she paves the way for the victories of strong women to come. As Madam Vice President Harris herself said, "while I may be the first woman in this office, I won't be the last."
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Article featured in the Manufacturer and Business Associations' April 2021 Business Magazine
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