Vice Presidential Pool Reports of April 21, 2022

VP travel pool report #1 - Checking in

Good morning from Los Angeles. I'll be your print pooler today for VP Harris' final leg of her trip to California. We're headed to San Francisco where the VP will give remarks on the maternal health crisis.

Here's a look at today's schedule:

At 10:15AM PDT, the Vice President will depart Los Angeles, CA en route San Francisco, CA. The departure from Los Angles International and arrival at San Francisco International will be covered by the travel pool.

At 12:50PM PDT, the Vice President will meet with current and former maternal health patients, and speak with members of the maternal health care workforce. This will take place in the William J. Rutter Center at the University of California, San Francisco Mission Bay and will be pooled press.

At 2:30PM PDT, the Vice President will deliver remarks on the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to improve maternal health. These remarks in the William J. Rutter Center at the University of California, San Francisco Mission Bay will be covered by pre-credentialed media and livestreamed at WhiteHouse.gov/live.
At 7:55PM PDT, the Vice President will depart San Francisco, CA en route Los Angeles International. The departure from San Francisco International and arrival at Los Angeles International will be closed press.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

VP travel pool report #2 - LA departure for SF

Motorcade arrived at LAX at 10:08 am local time.

VP Harris stepped out shortly after and immediately boarded AF2 (tail #80001 for those wondering). She stumbled as she climbed AF2 and turned and waved before boarding at 10:09am. There are no greeters for today's short flight.

VP waved at press but did not stop to talk before boarding at

We're rolling for SF shortly.

VP travel pool report #3 - SF arrival

AF2 was wheels up at 10:27am PDT. No visitors to the back of the plane.

Wheels down at 11:19am PDT.

On Background from a White House Official

Today the Vice President will visit the University of California San Francisco Mission Bay as a part of her continued leadership addressing the maternal health crisis.

While at the William J. Rutter Center at UCSF, the Vice President will discuss the EMBRACE program, which uses an innovative approach to improving maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women. She will meet with expecting families, join a group perinatal session, and speak with members of the health care workforce. At 2:30 PM PDT, the Vice President will deliver remarks about the maternal health crisis, which will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42ro8wwUXcI.

This visit follows last week, when the Vice President marked Black Maternal Health Week by convening a historic meeting with Cabinet Secretaries and agency leaders to discuss the Administration's whole-of-government approach to addressing maternal mortality and morbidity. The Vice President brought together leaders across the federal government – including agencies that may not have historically taken a leading role addressing the maternal health crisis.

During the meeting the Vice President, announced several key actions to address maternal health and combat the systemic inequities that lead to worse maternal outcomes for Black, Native American, and rural women. The next day, she announced that in response to her Call to Action, Michigan is extending postpartum coverage from 2 weeks to 12 months. Michigan joins Louisiana, Virginia, New Jersey and Illinois' extension of postpartum coverage. The Administration is working with another 11 states to extend postpartum coverage.

Additional Background

• As Vice President, Kamala Harris has worked closely with President Biden and other leaders in the Administration to improve outcomes for Black women and their families.
  
  • The White House released a Presidential Proclamation to mark Black Maternal Health Week in 2021 and 2022.
  • Last week, the Vice President hosted a meeting with Cabinet Secretaries and agency leaders to discuss the Administration's whole-of-government approach to addressing maternal mortality and morbidity.
  • In December 2021, the Vice President led a Maternal Health Day of Action Summit, noting the urgent need to address this crisis.
  • At the Summit, the Vice President announced guidance to help states provide 12 months of continuous postpartum coverage through their Medicaid programs, up from 60 days; a new HHS report showing the impact of state extensions of Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months; and CMS's plan to propose the establishment of a "Birthing-Friendly" hospital designation. She also announced that more than 20 companies and nonprofits have pledged to invest over $150 million and take other critical actions to address the maternal health crisis.
  • In April 2021, the Vice President hosted a roundtable on Black Maternal Health with Domestic Policy Advisor Ambassador Susan Rice. She was joined by women who shared their experiences with complications from pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum as well as their work in advocacy and research, highlighting the disparities that Black women face in maternal health.

• The Omnibus spending bill passed in March and signed by the President includes both the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act and an expansion of the Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services (Rural MOMS) program.
  
  • These foundational bills authorize and improve programs to address the maternal mortality crisis in this country and build on current funding at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

• Last fall, the Administration released the first-ever National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, which includes its vision to strengthen health care and women's health, including through addressing the maternal mortality crisis in the United States and abroad.

• As a Senator, Vice President Harris was a champion on the issue of maternal health. She brought racial disparities in maternal mortality, particularly for Black women, to the forefront legislatively, increasing awareness among her colleagues and leading to a broader discussion of racial disparities across other health issues.
  
  • She convened roundtables, lifted up local organizations that are focused on the issue, and ensured that initiatives on maternal health included references to racial disparities and relevant solutions.
  • She introduced several bills in the Senate specifically targeted to addressing racial disparities in maternal mortality, including the Maternal CARE Act and the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act.

VP travel pool report #4 - no news: VP remarks under the wing

Harris alighted AF2 at 11:30am.

She walked over to the greeters (Mayor Breed, Lt. Gov. Kounalakis ans CMS administrator Brooks-LaSure) and spoke for about four minutes to all three, who were all dress in blue blazers (Harris also in a blue suit).

VP came over and spoke to press on Biden's announcement for more aid to Ukraine.

she said Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been not only been "steeped in atrocities" but a "strategic failure."

Said Biden's remarks talked about what we continue to do which is "support the Ukrainian people, President Zelesnkyy,with what we can interms of economic assistance and humanitaria assistance but also with equal fervor, we are absolutely committed to continuing with the serious consequences and costs" for Russia with its acts of aggression and what the president has said about its criminal conduct.

Called it "one of our highest priorities."

More TK.

We're rolling at 11:39am.

Greeters on tarmac:
- Mayor London Breed (D-San Francisco, CA)
- Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis (D-CA)
- Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

VP travel pool report #5 - UCSF arrival / tour

Motorcade arrived at 11:58 PDT.

Pool hustled inside but did not spot VP upon entering. We were ushered through Fisher Atrium where the VP will later deliver remarks and took an elevator to a room for the first stop on her tour.

Six yoga mats, equipped with blankets, yoga blocks and long pillows were displayed in the center of the room.

Hope Williams, a community leader and expecting mother who is briefing Harris, sat on a patient table in the corner of the room. Her husband, Kenneth Burt, stood nearby.

We're awaiting Harris.

Here's some details on today's tour:

Tour participants

• Vice President Harris
• Dr. Andrea Jackson, Interim Director of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Gynecologic Subspecialties Division
• Markita Mays, Co-Director of EMBRACE, Clinical Social Worker
• Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Hope Williams, EMBRACE Patient (Station 1)
• Dr. Michael Drake, President of the university of California (Station 3)
• Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis (D-CA) (Station 3)
• Mayor London Breed (D-San Francisco, CA) (Station 3)
• Ayesha Curry, Co-Founder Eat, Learn, Play Foundation (Station 3)
• Sydel Curry-Lee, Sister of Steph Curry (Station 3)
• ~6 prenatal care patients and their family members (Station 2)
• ~24 medical workers (Station 3)

Tour steps

• At station 1 Vice President Harris and other participants will be briefed by Hope Williams on patient care
• At station 2, Vice President Harris and other participants will meet with a patient group consisting of 6 patients and their family members. They will engage in a discussion on pre-natal care.
• At station 3, the Vice President will meet with healthcare workers who will share their experiences in the health care workforce.

As a reminder, please check Harris quotes against transcript. Here's audio from her remarks under the wing:

https://otter.ai/u/qYO5dujwEAoN2QxveH9etyXXmzg

She said the US would continue to issue sanctions but "all with an understanding that one of our highest priorities is sovereignty and territorial integrity as a as a solid principle that binds and unites the NATO alliance."

VP travel pool report #6 - Tour stop 1

Harris entered the room at 12:20.

She stood over Williams as the two greeted each other. Harris did a wrist bump with both Williams and her husband.

"I'm going to try to not get emotional," Williams said.

"Let's talk about it," Harris said to Williams.

VP said it's about fighting for "the dignity you rightly deserve" and "about understanding that when it comes to women's health, we as a country still have a lot of work to do."

Said we need to ensure women are being treated as human beings.

Pool was escorted out of the room as the two contained talking at 12:23pm for the next stop on the tour.

VP travel pool report #7 - tour stop 2

Pool was hustled into another room where six patients and their family members were seated in a circle. One mother had a baby on her lap and a young girl sat next to her parents. One woman was in a mask.

Plants and a bookcase displaying artifacts (a baby onesie, books and statues among them) were tucked in the left corner of the room.

The group is expected to discuss prenatal care with Harris.

Harris entered at 12:32pm and walked around the room giving each person a wrist bump.

"Who's this young leader?" She said to the young girl.

She sat down in a chair in and listened as a doctor explained the EMBRACE model, which includes convening patients along with family members about mental health services, inter generational trauma, nutrition and how to mitigate stress.

"That's right," Harris said repeatedly as she listened.

VP said the piece about trauma "is so true" and the level of diagnosed trauma and how that has an impact on your emotional well-being and the physical.

Pool was escorted out after about three and a half minutes and taken to the third stop.

VP travel pool reports #8 - tour stop 3

Pool was taken to a third room where a cheerful group of 24 female medical workers stood talking in the center of the room. An EMBRACE logo was displayed next to a tall bookshelf featuring poster images of members and two baby onesies. Tables and chairs situated on the outer perimeter of the room sat empty.

Ayesha Curry, Steph Curry's wife, and Sydel Curry-Lee, Curry's sister, stood with a group of three doctors, Dr. Michael Drake, president of the university, Mayor Breed and Lt Gov Kounalakis on the left side of the room.

Harris entered with Brooks-LaSure at 12:56pm. The group clapped as she entered. She appeared excited to see Dr. Drake and said hi from across the room before a doctor begain explaining who was in the room.

Harris said she was so happy to be here and she was so looking forward to their conversation.

She praised their work and for empowering women. "It's extraordinary the gift that you have."

"I'm just so happy to be back," she said, noting that she's done a lot of work at the University over the years. "It's good to be home."

Harris then listened as a doctor gave remarks about the importance of Black maternal healthcare and Black health providers.

Pool was escorted out at 1:03pm.

VP travel pool report #9 - VP remarks begin

Guests mingled in the hallway next to the Fisher, Atrium, where Harris is due to give her remarks. Some were seated. Most were not wearing masks.

A stage was set up with a blue backdrop featuring three American flags and three California flags. Both flags were also displayed prominently on either side of the podium.

Remarks program:

- Dr. Michael Drake, President of the University of California gives welcome remarks
- Dr. Andrea Jackson
- Mayor London Breed
- Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis
- Senator Dianne Feinstein
- Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Adrienne Gorrell introduces VP

Feinstein gave brief prepared remarks, praising Harris for championing a bill to reduce maternal mortality as a senator and continuing to shine a light on the issue as vice president.

Harris entered at 2:12 and began speaking.

Pool will send any notable color but you can watch the livestreamed speech here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42ro8wwUXcI

VP travel pool report #10 - Remarks end

VP ended her remarks at 2:25pm PDT. She briefly greeted members of the audience, at one point holding a baby, before leaving.

Pool is breaking away from the VP so we will not get a chance to ask about the news of her chief of staff's departure. She's heading back to Los Angeles.

VP travel pool report #11 - Lid

Apologies for not putting this in the last report: We have a travel/photo lid.