Vice Presidential Pool Reports of February 24, 2023

2/24 VP Pool Report #1

Good morning,

I will be your pool reporter for the vice president's meeting on reproductive health. The pool is waiting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The pool will move downstairs at about 10:50, one of the VP's press assistants said. The meeting is scheduled to start at 11 in the VP's Ceremonial Office.

Below is a message from the vice president's press team:

Today, February 24, 2023, Vice President Harris will convene a meeting at the White House with reproductive rights leaders, including provider and legal organizations, to discuss protecting reproductive health care. The Vice President’s opening remarks will be livestreamed at 11:00 AM ET at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

The Vice President will address attacks on Mifepristone, which is a safe and effective drug for medication abortion that has been FDA-approved for more than 20 years.

Mifepristone is used safely in more than 60 countries, and it provides critical care for women—including helping women manage miscarriages. The FDA has repeatedly considered the clinical evidence and determined that mifepristone is safe and effective—including when prescribed by telehealth and sent by mail, an option that has been in place throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vice President will also address unprecedented attacks to undermine the authority of the FDA and take away access to reproductive health care for women no matter where they live.

Participants

1. Dr. Serina Floyd, Chief Medical Officer for Planned Parenthood Metropolitan Washington D.C. and Chair of the National Medical Committee of PPFA
2. Dr. Maureen G. Phipps, CEO, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
3. Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO, National Women’s Law Center
4. Mini Timmaraju, President, NARAL Pro-Choice America
5. Nancy Northup, President, the Center for Reproductive Rights
6. Monica Simpson, Executive Director, Sister Song
7. Deirdre Schifeling, National Political Director, the American Civil Liberties Union
8. Dr. Kristyn Brandi, Board Chair, Physicians for Reproductive Health
9. Amanda Dennis, Executive Director, the Society of Family Planning
10. Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize, President, American Academy of Family Physicians
11. Dr. Eliza Chin, Executive Director, American Medical Women's Association

Additional background

• Vice President Harris is continuing to build a broad coalition to protect reproductive rights. The Vice President has convened leaders from 38 states across 40 different convenings since the leak of the decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
• In January, Vice President Harris announced that President Biden signed a Presidential Memorandum that outlined actions to protect legal access to medication abortion and safeguard patient safety and security.

2/24 VP Pool Report #2

The pool walked into the VP’s Ceremonial Office shortly before 11 a.m. Vice President Harris sat at the head of the table. A group of leaders of reproductive health organizations and legal advocacy groups sat around her.

Vice President Harris made a short statement about access to mifepristone and took no questions from reporters. A video is available on the White House website.

One note: White House Gender Policy Council leader Jennifer Klein sat to the VP’s right at the table. She was not included on the earlier attendee list from the vice president’s press team.

The pool left the room at 11:02 a.m.

That’s a wrap. Have a good weekend.