Readout of Vice President Kamala Harris's Meeting with Pennsylvania State Legislators on Reproductive Rights

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris convened more than 30 Pennsylvania state legislators who are fighting on the frontlines to protect reproductive rights. Today's meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania follows engagements about reproductive rights that the Vice President held with health care providers, faith leaders, constitutional law and privacy experts, advocates, state Attorneys General, and other state legislators. The Vice President convened state legislators from across the country on July 8, 2022 at the White House, and on July 14, 2022, she convened Florida state legislators in Orlando, Florida.

During the meeting, the participants discussed what they can collectively do to fight for the rights of the American people and defend a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. The state legislators described how Republican legislators in Pennsylvania are pushing for extremist laws that endanger women and jeopardize privacy rights. They discussed the intersection of attacks on abortion access and attacks on voting rights and LGBTQI+ rights – noting the importance of building coalitions to defend our democracy and work toward progress.

The Vice President thanked the legislators for defending reproductive rights and freedoms. She conveyed the Administration's commitment to protecting access to reproductive health care and patient privacy, and she encouraged the state legislators to keep defending the rights of women in Pennsylvania and to work with leaders from states across the country who are experiencing similar challenges. The Vice President reiterated the importance of engaging at the local, state and federal level to defend democracy, strengthen the rule of law, and protect reproductive health care.

Speakers:

• Rep. Joanna McClinton, PA House Minority Leader
• Congressman Dwight Evans, D-PA-3
• Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, D-PA-5
• Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, D-PA-4
• Rep. Mary Jo Daley, Women's Health Caucus Co-Chair
• Sen. Maria Collett, Senate Democrats Caucus Secretary
• Rep. Morgan Cephas, Women's Health Caucus Co-Chair
• Sen. Katie Muth, Senate Democrats Chair of the Policy Committee