US Vice President Kamala Harris said, Securing the Democratic presidential nominationShe is actively campaigning against Republican candidate Donald Trump for the upcoming November election. Her campaign speeches have highlighted several key issues, including supporting the middle class, expanding reproductive rights, enacting gun law reforms, and advancing voting rights.
since Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign on July 21 And with their support, Harris solidified delegate support, clinched the Democratic nomination, and was elected. Tim Walz as his running mate,
The official policy agenda for Democrats will be articulated at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on August 19 in Chicago.
In her campaign speeches, Harris has presented herself as the “solution” to former President Donald Trump, claiming that her presidency would move the country forward while Trump’s would set it back, USA Today reported.
As the Democratic National Convention in Chicago draws closer, Harris’s priorities may become clearer.
Here are some of his major election promises so far.
Middle class support and affordability
Kamala Harris emphasized her commitment to the middle class, saying, “Creating the middle class will be the defining goal of my presidency.”
At a rally with his fellow candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, he reiterated, “Our campaign is not just a fight against Donald Trump. We’re fighting for a future with affordable housing, affordable health care, affordable child care and paid leave.”
Health care
Harris, who previously held varying stances on health care, confirmed in late July that she no longer supports a single-payer system.
In his 2020 campaign, he advocated for a government-backed health insurance system while maintaining private insurance, CNN reported.
His plan aimed to transition to a “Medicare for All” system over 10 years without raising middle class taxes, and would raise the money by taxing Wall Street trading and offshore corporate income.
To lower drug costs, Harris proposed allowing the federal government to set drug prices based on other countries’ prices.
If manufacturers are found to be price gouging, the government can import the drugs or use “march-in” rights to license patents to lower-cost producers.
Student Loan Forgiveness
Harris supports student loan forgiveness in line with the Biden administration’s goals. She emphasized this at the American Federation of Teachers convention in Houston and underscored her commitment to reducing the financial burden on students.
As vice president, Harris has supported the Biden administration’s student loan initiative, which has forgiven more than $168 billion for about 4.8 million borrowers. In mid-July, she noted in a post on X that about 950,000 government employees have benefited from student loan forgiveness, up from just 7,000 when Biden took office.
A Harris administration could continue this progress, though some of Biden’s efforts have faced legal challenges, such as a program designed to reduce monthly student loan payments for about 3 million borrowers.
Reproductive rights
Harris’ speeches have primarily focused on reproductive rights. She has promised to sign legislation if Congress passes one that restores federal protections for abortion rights.
“We will ensure national protection for reproductive freedom,” he said in Atlanta, Houston and Indianapolis, USA Today reported.
This was highlighted by her visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minneapolis, making her possibly the first president or vice president to do so.
Gun law reform
Gun law reform is another priority. Speaking in Wilmington, Harris called for universal background checks, red flag laws and an assault weapons ban.
“We will work to ensure freedom from gun violence,” Harris said.
As vice president, he oversaw the White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which was based on the bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022.
voting rights
Harris has also committed to advancing voting rights legislation, including the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.
These measures are intended to enhance security and require federal approval for some changes to local election laws.
Despite past challenges in Congress, Harris remains focused on these goals.