ICYMI: VP Harris Joins New York Times DealBook Summit as She Continues Leading on Key Issues

"We have seen great progress:" During a Wide-Ranging Interview at the New York Times DealBook Summit, Vice President Kamala Harris Continues Leading on Key Issues at Home and Abroad

As the first sitting President or Vice President of the United States to ever participate in the New York Times DealBook Summit, Vice President Harris outlined how she and President Biden "have accomplished quite a bit."

NEW YORK – Vice President Kamala Harris joined journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin today for a wide-ranging interview at the New York Times DealBook Summit, an annual forum that features on-stage conversations with high-profile changemakers in politics, business, tech, and culture. For over 30 minutes, the Vice President highlighted for the live audience how the Biden-Harris Administration has delivered for people throughout America, addressed a range of domestic policy issues including the economy and fundamental freedoms, and continued her leadership on the world stage while speaking about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Today marked the first time that a sitting President of the United States or Vice President of the United States participated in the Summit.

In case you missed it, here are five key moments from the Vice President's interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times DealBook Summit:

1. The Vice President highlighted how the Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic steps to improve the lives of the American people and deliver for families across the country:

"We have an historic investment in a pro-growth economy; we have done the work that has been about saying that we will create alignment with our allies, that we will invest in the American economy around workers and industry and business. We have done the work that is about an investment in chips and science, the Inflation Reduction Act – may I remind everyone, not one Republican in Congress voted for it," said Vice President Harris. "If you look at the track record of accomplishments under this president, on infrastructure alone, many historians would argue not since Eisenhower have we seen that kind of investment in America and the creation of American jobs – not to mention recovering from an historic economic decline because of the pandemic."

2. Vice President Harris discussed how she and President Biden have significantly improved the economy by creating a record number of jobs, investing in small businesses, and lowering costs:

"When we look at the economy, I appreciate you recognizing that we have accomplished quite a bit," said Vice President Harris. "We have actually dealt with inflation in a better way than most advanced economies, we have had record low unemployment for an extended period of time, wages have surpassed inflation in many ways – so we have seen great progress….For many Americans, prices are still too high and we still have work to do to address that, and we have been doing that in a number of ways: capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month, what we are doing in terms of student loan debt – over $120 billion in forgiveness – what we are doing to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. So the work is happening."

3. The Vice President demonstrates her ongoing leadership on the world stage while addressing the Israel-Hamas conflict:

"We have been very consistent as an administration on where we stand: first of all, that after that horrific attack – 1,200 people massacred, many of them young people simply attending a concert – that we would stand with Israel's right to defend itself….we have also been very consistent about…the American citizens and other hostages that were taken, and our priority to make sure that they are rescued and are able to leave. We have also been consistent both in public and private conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu that it is critically important that humanitarian aid be given to Gaza and that the rules of war be followed," said Vice President Harris. "There have been many conversations both in public and private about the fact that far too many Palestinians have been killed, and it is important that Israel do all it can to protect innocent civilians. These conversations have been taking place. I have been on those conversations – at least 14 – that President Biden has had with Netanyahu. I have had conversations with President Herzog."

4. Vice President Harris continued to lead the fight for fundamental freedoms – from reproductive freedom to the freedom to live safe from gun violence:

"There is a full-on attack by some against hard-won, hard-fought freedoms in our country – the freedom to make decisions about one's body, the freedom to love who you love with pride and openly, the freedom to be free from gun violence and of fear, hatred, antisemitism, Islamophobia. There are fundamental freedoms that are at stake right now and the American people do understand that," said Vice President Harris. "When freedom was on the ballot – be it from Kansas to California, Ohio to Virginia – the American people voted in favor."

She also shared what she witnessed while on her nationwide Fight for Our Freedoms college tour in which she heard directly from young leaders:

"I met with over 15,000 college-aged Americans at universities, community colleges, and also trade schools. Every auditorium was packed and in almost every school there was an overflow room, and the excitement was palpable," said Vice President Harris. "When these folks, meaning the American people, have an opportunity to hear firsthand where we are and what we are committed to in terms of these central freedoms – on a lot of these issues, they believe in the leadership and they applaud the leadership. And I will tell you, that was the case everywhere I went."

5. The Vice President addressed the topic of AI and once again outlined the Biden-Harris Administration's vision for a future where AI is used to advance the public interest:

"The full spectrum of risks must also be evaluated as we are establishing public policy," said Vice President Harris. "I know that there is a balance that can and must be struck between what we must do in terms of oversight and regulation, and being intentional to not stifle innovation…Government has historically been too slow to address these issues. AI is rapidly expanding and we have to take seriously our ability to have the resources and the skillset to do this in a smart way that strikes the right balance and does not accept false choices."