Vice Presidential Pool Reports of June 6, 2022

VP travel pool report #1 - checking in

Hello from Los Angeles, where the VP is kicking off a week of events at the Summit of the Americas.

I'm your print pooler for today's events (which includes one non-summit-related roundtable with faith leaders on reproductive health care).

We are headed to the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor for the first event.

Here's a look at today's schedule. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

At 2:25PM PDT, the Vice President will host a roundtable with faith leaders on reproductive health care. The opening remarks at the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor will be pooled press.

At 4:00PM PDT, the Vice President will participate in a tour of the Summit of the Americas Civil Society Forum Initiatives Fair and engage with civic leaders from the Western Hemisphere focused on women's empowerment, democratic governance, and women in government. This event at the Sheraton Grand Hotel will be pooled press.

Please reach out with any questions.

VP travel pool report #2 - Background on reproductive rights roundtable

On Background from a White House Official

Today, June 6, at 2:30 PM PT, Vice President Kamala Harris will host a roundtable with faith leaders to discuss the most urgent challenges facing our communities, from protecting reproductive rights, to addressing the epidemic of hate that is gripping our nation. The roundtable will take place at the LA County Federation of Labor.

Faith leaders play critical roles in their communities, and they are an important part of the coalition that is speaking out to unify our nation. During the conversation, participants will focus on reproductive health care in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's leaked opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that has put Roe v. Wade and access to safe reproductive health care in jeopardy. The Vice President will emphasize that the Administration will continue to fight for the health, safety, and well-being of women.

As the District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California, Senator from California, and now as Vice President, the Vice President has spent her career fighting for women. She continues to be a forceful advocate protecting women's reproductive rights across the country.

Participants included:
Pastor Demetries Edwards, Pastor, 23rd Avenue Church of God (Oakland, CA)
Rabbi Dara Frimmer, Senior Rabbi, Temple Isaiah (Los Angeles, CA)
Rev. Edgar Boyd, Senior Minister, First AME Church (Los Angeles, CA)
Nitasha Kaur Sawhney, Sikh civil rights advocate and lawyer (La Cañada, CA)
Edina Lekovic, UCLA Community Scholar in Residence, Islamic Studies Program (Los Angeles, CA)
Claire Lipschultz, VP of Board of Directors, National Council of Jewish Women (Sacramento, CA)
Rev. Dr. Amos Brown, Pastor, Third Baptist Church (San Francisco, CA)
Jackie Dupont Walker, Director, Social Action Commission, AME Church (Los Angeles, CA)
Reverend Dr. Young Lee Hertig, Executive Director, Innovative Space for Asian American Christianity (Los Angeles, CA).
Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, Assistant Director of Community and Public Engagement, USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture (Los Angeles, CA).

The Vice President will also be joined by:

· Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA)
· Representative Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34)
· Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis
· Mayor Eric Garcetti

Additional Background:

• Vice President Harris is a longtime champion of protecting reproductive rights.
• She is a longtime supporter of codifying Roe in federal legislation. On May 11, 2022, she presided over the Senate's vote on the Women's Health Protection Act.
• On May 11, 2022, the Vice President alsovirtually met with doctors and nurses on the frontlines about the impact that overturning Roe v. Wade would have on reproductive health care.
• On September 9, 2021, the Vice President met with reproductive health providers and patientsat the White House to discuss the impact of Texas Senate Bill 8 and other restrictions on reproductive health.
• As California Attorney General, she signed onto multiple amicus briefs to ensure women have full access to their reproductive health care.
• The Biden-Harris Administration has made historic commitments to advancing gender equality, including standing up the White House's first-ever Gender Policy Council, dedicated to driving a whole-of-government effort that is advancing gender equity and equality, from championing women's access to high quality and equitable health care; to women's rights, equal opportunities and pay, equal protection, and safety from gender-based harassment and violence.

o The President and Vice President have continued to stand side by side with women to protect and defend the long-recognized, constitutional right to abortion.
o In response to Texas's SB 8, the President and Vice President strongly denounced the law as an affront to a woman's constitutional rights under Roe v. Wade. The President and Vice President directed the Gender Policy Council and White House Counsel to lead a whole-of-government effort to protect women's rights across this country.
o The Biden-Harris Administration is continuing to speak out as extremist Republican leaders are weaponizing the use of the law in states across the country to punish and control women.
· Last week, Vice President Harris released a video about what is at stake with Roe v. Wade.

• The Vice President will continue to work with Members of Congress, state advocates and legislators, stakeholders, and those on the frontlines of the fight to protect reproductive rights.

VP travel pool report #3 - VP arrival

Pool is still holding for the 2:25pm roundtable but spotted the VP's motorcade outside the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor at 2:10 pm ET.

VP travel pool report #4 - Roundtable remarks

Pool was escorted into the room where Harris was seated at the center of the room at 2:24pm ET. The tables were positioned in a U-shape against the backdrop of 3 California and 3 US flags.

She thanked Sen. Padilla, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, Lt. Gov Kounalakis and Mayor Garcetti.

"I know that no matter the differences among us in society, there's so much more in common than what separates us. And I think most people, regardless of who they are would agree, we need faith in each other, in our nation, and in our future," she said.

Harris said she would talk about how certain communities are being targeted because of misinformation and "how hate manifests itself in violent acts, most of which are committed with the use of guns and what they're for that requires sensible laws."

She said they will also talk about the impending SCOTUS decision regarding Roe v Wade and the people who are going to be directly impacted by that decision and "how we uplift them."

A conversation that " requires us to also discuss whether we value the concept of self determination."

"It is simply about agreeing that a woman should be able to make a decision with her faith leader, with her family... And the government should not be making that decision."

She commented on the Louisiana abortion bill at the end of her remarks, noting that it takes away this right "with no exception."

"So the threat to all of these principles and priorities is very clear and imminent," she said.

Pool was ushered out at 2:33pm ET.

Please check quotes against audio.

VP travel pool report #5 - Motorcade rolling

Motorcade is rolling at 4:09 pm ET. Pool did not spot the VP before we left the venue.

VP travel pool report #6 - Civil society tour

Motorcade arrived at 4:15pm ET. Pool was taken through the Sheraton Hotel loading dock to the first stop on the VP's tour. Three booths line the left side of one half of the room and another four were positioned on the right. The room is empty other than participants running the booths and members of the press.

We are holding for the VP.

Here's some more information on the initiatives fair:

Attributed to a WH official:

Vice President Kamala Harris is participating in a tour of the Initiatives Fair at the Civil Society Forum, one of the stakeholder fora associated with the Summit of the Americas. Her visit demonstrates the importance the Biden-Harris Administration places on civil society and her view that governments alone cannot solve the problems we face in our Hemisphere.

The Initiatives Fair has 16 booths representing civil society projects. The Vice President will visit 3 of them.

1. A booth focused on women's empowerment. She will engage with Aida Saucedo, of Mexico, who represents the the Asociación Nacional Civica Femenina A.C., the National Women's Civic Association.

2. A booth focused on democratic governance. The Vice President will engage with Terry Ince, of Trinidad and Tobago, who represents the Conventional on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee of Trinidad and Tobago,

3. A booth focused on women in government. The Vice President will engage with Nadia Ramos, of Peru, who represents the Centro de Liderazgo de Mujeres de las Americas, the Leadership Center of the Americas.
The Vice President will be joined by Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States.

VP travel pool report #7 - Harris arrival

Harris entered the room at 4:24pm ET. She was unmasked and accompanied by Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of the American States.

The VP listened intently as a woman spoke in Spanish about her initiative and a translator stood on and translated to English.

Pool was escorted out of the room at 4:26pm ET while the Vice President was still being briefed about the initiative.

We were taken back to the pool vans and are not waiting for Harris to finish the tour.

VP travel pool report #8 - lid

Pool broke off from the VP and was taken back to the Intercontinental.

We have a trave/photo lid at 4:45pm ET.

VP travel pool report #9 - Harris hosts business executive dinner

On background from a White House Official:

Vice President Harris is hosting a private dinner at El Cholo in Santa Monica.

She is hosting business executives and those involved in the Vice President’s Call to Action for northern Central America, her effort to bring together the private sector and social enterprises to invest in and support the long-term development of the region.

Guests include:

—Ajay Banga, Partnership for Central America (PCA) Co-Chair and Chairman Emeritus, Mastercard
—Blanca Treviño, PCA Co-Chair and CEO, Softtek
—Ray Chambers, PCA Vice-Chair and WHO Global Ambassador
—John Fantini Porter, PCA Executive Director
—Laura Chinchilla Miranda, PCA Senior Advisor and former President of Costa Rica (2010-2014)
—Kate Behncken, Vice President and Lead of Microsoft Philanthropies, Microsoft
—Sally Gilligan, Chief Growth Transformation Officer, GAP
—Jaime Rocha Font, CEO, Elementia
—Sebastian Reynoso, CEO, Bimbo Central America
—Lorraine Voles, Chief of Staff to the VP
—Phil Gordon, National Security Advisor to VP
—Michael George, Policy Advisor to VP
—Brian Nichols, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs

More on El Cholo, from it website (https://www.elcholo.com/our-history)

LA's very first Mexican restaurant. Since first opening our doors in 1923, El Cholo has operated as a family-owned business and today, the restaurants are run by Ron Salisbury, grandson of the founders. Our legacy at El Cholo lies in its commitment to quality ingredients, long family history, loyal employees (some with over 40 years) and our dear devoted clientele. Through prohibition, the LA Riots, true Hollywood glamour and into the the 2000's, El Cholo continues to bring back memories for our guests.