Vice President-elect Pool Reports of January 18, 2021

VPE pool report - service event

Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff participated in a service event at Martha's Table in Anacostia on Monday, packing food into plastic bags which will be distributed (background from the transition below). She and Emhoff were at the center, following a packing list laid out for them—two potatoes, two oranges, a macaroni and cheese, etc.

She genially urged on Emhoff—"we've got to get this done"—and did the same for the high school volunteers—"you guys are moving slowly"—as she tied the bags and placed them in a large green bin.

Afterward, in the parking lot in front of a Martha's Table van, she spoke briefly with the press.

First a statement:

"We're here at Martha's Table to support the work that is happening. Volunteers are here. There are a number of high school students from Jack and Jill who are here, in honor of the Day of Service when we recognize and pay tribute to the work of Dr. King. I think it's so important to remember that Dr. King was killed in large part, I believe, because he was on the verge of bringing together the civil rights movement around racial justice with the fight for economic justice. And when we look at where we are as a country today, when we look at recent events, we know that the fight Dr. King was engaged in is still a fight in America, which is to recognize the connection and to recognize our collective responsibility to address these injustices. Today in America, one in six families is describing their household as being hungry. Today in America, one in five is describing an inability to pay rent, one in three is describing an inability to pay their bills. So we are here today as part of what we collectively all of us who are volunteering see as our responsibility as part of Dr. King's legacy. And we're here to renew the commitment that we have to service, and to serve others especially those in need."

She took three questions, and these are her answers in full.

The first was about the enormity of the tasks ahead:

"We're going into Wednesday knowing that we're ready to do the work--and we've got a lot of work to do. It's not going to be easy. As we have discussed, Joe has outlined our plan for vaccinations, our plan for recovery. and in particular relief for working people, for families. And there is a lot to do. Some of them say that ours are ambitious goals, but we do believe with hard work and with the cooperation and collaboration of the members of the United States Congress that we can get it done."

The second was whether she was satisfied with $1400 relief checks:

"It's a start. There's a lot harder to do which is why there's so many other components to our relief package, and the work that we are committed to doing going forward."

The third was about whether she felt safe going to the inauguration, and what the terror threat tells her about the task ahead of unifying the country:

"I am very much looking forward to be sworn in as the next vice president of the United States and I will walk there to that moment proudly with my head up and my shoulders back."

Background from a Presidential Inaugural Committee official:

On Monday, January 18, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Mr. Douglas Emhoff will spend the National Day of Service volunteering at Martha's Table in Southeast D.C.

Thousands of volunteers across the country will participate in the National Day of Service -- an opportunity for all Americans to unite and serve at a time when the global pandemic calls on us to work together and support our communities. The Presidential Inaugural Committee, working closely with AmeriCorps and local, state, and national service partners, has organized more than 2,500 events in all 56 states and territories. The PIC has already surpassed the 2013 Inaugural Committee's number of 1 million service hours committed.

The day will culminate in an hour-long virtual live-stream celebration that will feature a diverse array of entertainers, speakers, and stories of service celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to service.

Background on National Day of Service

In 1994, Congress passed legislation designating the Martin Luther King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service – "a day on, not a day off." Since then, AmeriCorps – the federal agency for service and volunteerism – has led this national effort to engage Americans in honoring Dr. King's legacy through service on MLK Day.

In 2009, then President-elect Obama called on all Americans to join the National Day of Service as part of PIC's activities. In 2013, the PIC participated in the National Day of Service again by hosting a service fair in Washington, DC, and organizing events across the country.