Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 1, 2022

White House pool report #1/ AF2 touch down

Vice President Harris arrives on AF2 at 12:41 p.m. She's greeted by Rep. David Price of North Carolina's 4th Congressional District, and Durham Mayor Elaine O'Neal.

White House pool report #2/rolling

12:45: Harris left for the Durham Center for Senior Life without entertaining questions from the press.

White House pool report #3/DCSL

Harris arrived at the Durham Center for Senior Life at about 1:15 p.m. She will tour the facility and deliver remarks after speaking with some of the center's participants.

White House pool report #4/Cooper arrives

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper greeted participants and staff at the Durham Center for Senior Life at 1:20 p.m. Harris had yet to emerge.

VP pool report #5/Harris & Cooper at DCSL

1:40 p.m. - Harris and Cooper visited with four participants at the Durham Center for Senior Life. The downtown nonprofit offers several services, including dementia care, health classes and congregate transportation. "The idea that anybody would be suffering pain or be exposed to illness, simply because they don't have enough money... it's just not right," Harris said.

VP pool report #6/DCSL convo

Each of DCSL's selected participants spoke of challenges in the medical system: overwhelming copays, limited access to important vaccines and Medicaid complications.

"Other countries are making it affordable," Harris said, "and we can, too."

Cooper said more government representatives should speak with people like DCSL's advocates, instead of corporate lobbyists.

"It is a tragedy that (the vote for the Inflation Reduction Act) was right down party lines as if this is a political issue," Harris said.

VP pool report #7/DCSL advocates convo

Harris' comments in conversation with DCSL advocates focused on the Inflation Reduction Act and its amendments to health care. She described the current "complexity" of America's medical system as "layer upon layer of inhumanity."

VP pool report #8/ACA and IRA

Harris called the Inflation Reduction Act a "next step" from the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, which introduced new insurance options for many lower-income Americans. But efforts to revise medical standards are ongoing, Harris said. "We still have so much work to do to improve health care policy in America."

VP pool report #9/remarks

Harris will next deliver prepared remarks from another section of the DCSL building.

VP pool report #10/background info

On background context. All the following is from a White House official:

On Thursday, August 1st, Vice President Harris is in Durham, North Carolina to visit the Durham Center for Senior Life and highlight the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to lower healthcare costs for seniors and expand access to prescription drugs through the Inflation Reduction Act. While in Durham, Vice President Harris will meet with seniors and advocates to discuss their experiences navigating Medicare, prescription drug access and expenses, and managing the cost of insulin.

Remarks Program:

Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Congressman David Price (NC-4)
Governor Roy Cooper
Gina Upchurch, Founder and Executive Director, Senior PharmAssist
Vice President Kamala Harris

The Biden-Harris Administration's Commitment to Lowering Health Care Costs

The Inflation Reduction Act will protect Medicare recipients from catastrophic drug costs by phasing in a cap for out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 and establishing a $35 monthly cap for insulin prescriptions.

Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare will be able to negotiate prices for high-cost drugs for the first time ever — lowering costs for seniors.

13 million Americans covered under the Affordable Care Act will see their health insurance premiums reduced by an average of $800 a year.

VP pool report #11/Harris to speak

More than 200 are gathered for Harris' speech, mostly DCSL participants, advocates and stakeholders.

VP pool report #12/Cooper speech

2:30 p.m. Cooper took the stage. Harris' visit Thursday was her fifth official trip to North Carolina since her term as VP began, Cooper said.

He spoke first about older North Carolinians' contributions to the state and politicians' responsibility to care for them.

"How are we going to treat them?" Cooper said. "Do we make them choose between food and medicine? Too many have to."

But Harris and President Joe Biden "stepped up" with the Inflation Reduction Act, Cooper said, which intends to lower many medical expenses.

At the state level, Cooper promoted Medicaid expansion as the next major legislative action to improve people's access to affordable health care.

"There's more money for us if we do it," he said. "You hear that legislature? You hear that?"

VP pool report #13/Harris introduced

Rep. David Price and Gina Upchurch, founding executive director of the nonprofit Senior PharmAssist, delivered brief speeches. Upchurch introduced Harris at 2:47 p.m.

VP pool report #14/Harris speech

About "9% of seniors" in America are in poverty Harris said. The number jumps to 14% for women aged 80 and older.

Many of those have diabetes. Insulin costs have barred some from adequate treatment plans, but the Biden-Harris administration has capped the price at $35 per month starting next year, Harris said.

The Inflation Reduction Act also prescribes new systems by which Medicare can negotiate lower medication costs for its beneficiaries, and a recent FDA ruling made hearing aids available over-the-counter.

"Access to health care should be a right," Harris said, "not a privilege for those who can afford it... We're not talking about a luxury. We're talking about an essential need."

VP pool report #15/Harris rolling

3:15 p.m. - Harris appears to have left the building. She isn't scheduled to speak again for more than two hours.

VP pool report #16/DNC Finance Event

Harris is delivering remarks at the residence of Marica Angle and Mark Trustin for a "DNC finance event."

VP pool report #17/Angle remarks

About 40 are seated in the backyard to hear Harris' remarks. Angle, who has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic campaigns, thanked attendees for their support of the DNC.

VP pool report 18/Harris speaks

Harris takes the stage at 5:17 p.m.

VP pool report #19/Harris speech cont.

Harris gave an impassioned speech about democracy's tenets.

"When we are truly a strong democracy, it empowers the people," she said, "...to perpetuate the principles we care about."

But for all its "incredible strength," she added, democracy is "incredibly fragile."

"Its strength is literally a function of our ability and preparedness to fight for it," Harris said.

The VP thanked Jaime Harrison, chairperson of the DNC, who watched from the audience, and others who have worked for the party's interests.

VP press pool #20/Harris speech cont. cont.

First, a correction: the event hosted 30 invited guests. Other attendees were staff and support.

Harris emphasized the upcoming midterm elections and the 68 days remaining for candidates to campaign.

"I will stress that here in North Carolina you have a Senate race coming up," she said, referring to the contest between Republican Ted Budd and Democrat Cheri Beasley. The winner will replace retiring Sen. Richard Burr, a Republican.

Democrats hope to retain their party's Senate control and overturn the filibuster, which has prevented them from achieving some of Biden's goals.

Biden, a former senator, has long respected the "traditions and nobility" of the Senate, Harris said, but "Joe Biden has had enough... He will not let the filibuster get in the way. So what that means is we need to hold on to the seats that we've got and we need two more. One of them is right here."

VP pool report #21/motorcade rolling

Harris left the property at about 6 p.m. She's heading back to RDU.