Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Harris arrives to speak at a campaign rally on August 10, 2024, in Las Vegas.
Julia Nikhinson/AP
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Julia Nikhinson/AP
By the time most presidential candidates reach the stage of their parties’ national conventions, they have typically spent months crafting their policy priorities.
But Vice President Harris didn’t begin her campaign until July 21, when President Biden has moved away and passed the torch to him.
While Democrats rejoiced at the fresh energy Harris has brought to the race, her campaign speeches so far have been long on vibes and short on actual platforms. Many of her positions are based on proposals initially made by Biden that he and the Democrats failed to get through Congress.
As the Democratic National Convention kicks off this week, here are some highlights of what she’s said so far about what she’d do if she wins in November.
Vice President Harris speaks with store owner Nick Meyer while campaigning with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and singer Justin Vernon of Bon Iver in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on August 7, 2024.
Kamil Krzaczyniski/AFP
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Kamil Krzaczyniski/AFP
The economy
Harris gave him first major political speech She outlined what she would do to address the high costs of housing, food, health care and children’s education. Her proposals include:
- Tax breaks for home builders with aim of building 3 million new homes in four years
- Up to $25,000 in down payment assistance for first time home buyers
- Up to $6,000 for low- and middle-income families new babies
- Up to $3,600 per child per year in an expanded program child tax credit
- Banning abusive prices in the food sector, targeting meat price especially
- Work with states to ban the use of medical debt in credit scores
In other campaign speeches, Harris said she:
So far, there have been few details on:
- The overall costs of these new measures
- Would Harris raise taxes or cut other spending to pay for them?
- Who could benefit from the various incentives?
Harris’ campaign told Politico that it would not raise taxes on people earning less than $400,000 a year.
Vice President Harris listens to Dr. Sarah Traxler speak during a visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on March 14, 2024.
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Stephen Maturen/AFP
Reproductive rights
After the Supreme Court invalidated Roe v. Wade In 2022, Harris became the president of the administration main voice on restoring protections for abortion rights. She urged Congress to pass legislation to codify Roe deer protections and said she would sign it into law.
Health care
Harris has supported the Biden administration’s efforts to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs for seniors on Medicare. She said she would accelerate those discussions with drug companies. Like Biden, Harris has promised to try to:
- Limit insulin price to $35 for everyone, not just seniors
- Limit out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs to $2,000 per year for everyone
Immigration
Harris said she supports comprehensive immigration reform with “an earned path to citizenship,” but did not elaborate on the specifics.
Her campaign advertisements Harris said he would hire thousands of border agents, use technology to combat fentanyl and increase funding to end human trafficking.
She said she would urge the Senate to revive a bipartisan border security bill that Republicans have balked at. earlier this year at the request of former President Donald Trump. The bill would give him the power to close the border to migrants under certain conditions and establish changes to the asylum process.
Vice President Harris and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive for a meeting in the Vice President’s Ceremonial Office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on July 25, 2024.
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No more domestic politics
- Harris has promised to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, both of which have stalled in Congress.
- She said she would address gun violence urging Congress to pass universal background checks, red flag laws and an assault weapons ban.
Foreign policy
Harris has yet to deliver a major speech on foreign policy. But she has given detailed remarks after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, where she said she would not “remain silent” about the toll of Israel’s war against Hamas on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, even as she made clear she supported Israel’s right to defend itself.
