Dec. 19 (UPI) — Vice President Kamala Harris will launch a tour of the United States in early 2024 to promote abortion rights as Democrats seek to knuckle down on a key issue leading up to the November election.
The tour, dubbed “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms,” will kick off in the swing state of Wisconsin on Jan. 22, which marks 51 years since Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion before the Supreme Court overturned the landmark ruling in June 2022.
Following the repeal, GOP-led states have enacted increasing health restrictions to limit the availability of abortion drugs and procedures.
During the tour, Harris will host a number of public events that aim to share the stories of women who’ve been personally affected by the latest abortion bans, while also highlighting efforts by the Biden administration to protect access to care.
“Extremists across our country continue to wage a full-on attack against hard-won, hard-fought freedoms as they push their radical policies — from banning abortion in all 50 states and criminalizing doctors, to forcing women to travel out of state in order to get the care they need,” Harris said in a statement.
“I will continue to fight for our fundamental freedoms while bringing together those throughout America who agree that every woman should have the right to make decisions about her own body — not the government.”
In the coming weeks, the White House will announce more appearances by Harris across the nation as the White House sought to make abortion rights a “central pillar of the campaign moving forward,” Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler told CNN.
President Joe Biden has turned to Harris to voice the White House response to the decision that ended federal abortion protections, with Harris attending frequent meetings with reproductive health specialists, state legislators and women’s advocates to address the need for abortion access.
Among the Republican candidates, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year signed a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Former U.S. ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley says she is a “pro-life” candidate, but does not believe a nationwide six-week abortion ban can pass in Congress.
Former President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election, has taken credit for the repeal of Roe vs. Wade after he appointed three conservative justices to the high court during his term, while also voicing support for exceptions in cases of rape, incest and in situations that threaten the life of the mother.
The decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade has energized Democrats, who maintain control of the Senate, while the abortion issue led to increased voter turnout during the 2022 midterm elections that resulted in major Democratic victories, as well as the passage of abortion rights measures in Kansas and Ohio.
