Vice President Kamala Harris expressed her support for abolishing the filibuster in the U.S. Senate to re-establish federal protections for women’s abortion rights as previously upheld by Roe v. Wade. This stance was articulated during an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio, wherein Harris indicated her belief that the Senate should eliminate the filibuster rule, which mandates a 60-vote threshold for most legislation. She asserted that abolishing the filibuster for Roe would enable the Senate to re-enact protections for reproductive freedom with a simple majority of 51 votes.
Harris’ comments came as she aimed to distinguish her position from former President Donald Trump on crucial issues in the upcoming presidential election. Although she has previously supported ending the filibuster for reproductive rights, this topic has seldom been discussed since President Joe Biden decided not to seek re-election and instead endorsed Harris.
In Wisconsin, a critical battleground state where legal abortions ceased for almost 15 months following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe, Harris’ remarks hold significant relevance. She attributed the collapse of Roe to Trump, describing him as the “architect” of a health care crisis precipitated by the Supreme Court’s decision, with all three of Trump’s nominees voting to overturn the law. Her speech included a reference to a ProPublica report on the preventable deaths of two women in Georgia under the state’s new abortion law.
Trump reacted to Harris’ statements, asserting in Pennsylvania that women would be “happy, healthy confident and free” under his leadership. He emphasized that abortion is now a state-level issue, aligning with the vote of the people.
During the interview, Harris also addressed other pressing issues for Wisconsin voters, including housing and environmental concerns. She reiterated her commitment to providing $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and pledged to collaborate with the private sector to construct 3 million new homes by the end of her first term through tax credits and reducing construction-related red tape.
On the subject of PFAs, toxic chemicals contaminating Wisconsin’s drinking water, Harris stated that the administration is allocating billions in water infrastructure projects nationwide to clean up drinking water and replace lead pipes, with nearly $2 billion directed toward Wisconsin. The transcript of Harris’ interview with Wisconsin Public Radio will be available on the station’s website.
