Harris hyperlinks abortion and voting rights, says battle should go on

Vice President Kamala Harris drew a hyperlink between states shifting to outlaw abortion and people limiting voting rights, telling an viewers principally of Black ladies that the overturning of Roe v. Wade “requires all of us to speak up.” “At least 11 states are doing both at the same time,” Harris mentioned on the annual Essence Festival in New Orleans on Saturday. “No surprise there.”

Voting rights laws is stalled in Congress as Democrats lack Republican assist to move it within the evenly cut up Senate. It stays a key concern for Black voters, 87% of whom backed Joe Biden within the 2020 presidential election.

“We must be vigilant and we must remember we are always going to have to fight to maintain these rights,” Harris mentioned.

President Biden has mentioned he would assist blocking the Senate’s filibuster rule below sure circumstances to codify abortion entry into regulation and move federal voting rights laws. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, who endorsed Biden within the South Carolina main, has mentioned he would again revoking the filibuster for payments associated to constitutional points.

About half of US states have already outlawed abortion in all or most circumstances, have so-called set off legal guidelines on the books or plan to maneuver in an identical course. The US Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade choice on June 24, saying there’s no constitutional proper to an abortion.

Abortion rights advocates say the choice will disproportionately impression individuals of colour, low-income Americans and rural communities. These teams are much less prone to have the assets to journey for the medical process if their dwelling state now bans abortions.

The ruling has opened the chance for Democrats to harness outrage concerning the choice to drive voters to again candidates who assist abortion rights within the November midterm elections.