Vice Presidential Pool Reports of October 18, 2021

VP Travel Pool #1

Good morning from drizzly Los Angeles. I’ll be your print pooler today for the VP’s travel and events in Las Vegas. Your pool has been COVID tested and departed from our West LA gathering spot at 7:21 am PT for LAX, where we’ll connect with the VP.

Via the Vice President’s office, here is background for her visit to Lake Mead today:

On Background from a White House Official

Vice President Harris will visit Lake Mead in Nevada at 12:00pm PST Monday, where she will participate in a tour, receive a briefing, and deliver remarks making the case for the largest investment in climate resilience in U.S. history through passing the Build Back Better Agenda and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.

Lake Mead provides water to 25 million people in Nevada, Arizona, California, and Mexico. Yet this year, due to a climate change-fueled drought, Lake Mead hit its lowest level since the lake was created with the damming of the Colorado River in 1935. The Vice President will receive a briefing on the situation from officials at the U.S. Department of the Interior - including the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the National Park Service, as well as the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Clark County Parks and Recreation. She will also be joined by Representative Dina Titus, Representative Susie Lee, and Representative Steven Horsford.

In her remarks, the Vice President will emphasize that water shortages have a ripple effect on our farmers, food supply, and economy – and that climate change will continue to make extreme weather including droughts and heat more frequent, costly, and harmful. That is why Congress must pass the Build Back Better Agenda and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal bills, to address drought resilience and the climate crisis, and to create millions of good jobs building and repairing water infrastructure, restoring watersheds and wetlands, and improving water efficiency and conservation.

Vice President’s Leadership Addressing Drought

• As a California native, the Vice President has lived experience and expertise addressing issues that are especially acute in the West, including drought and wildfire.

• In the Senate, the Vice President authored multiple pieces of legislation to address the western water crisis and wildfires that are exacerbated by worsening drought conditions. Components of these bills, including parts of the Water for Tomorrow Act and the Wildfire Defense Act, are included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.

• In April, the Vice President visited a water treatment plant in Oakland, California and spoke to the importance of water infrastructure investment to aid drought resilience.

• In June, the Vice President joined President Biden in a meeting with Western Governors on wildfires. In her remarks, the Vice President drew the connection between drought, heat, wildfires and climate change.

Investments in Climate Resilience through the Build Back Better Agenda and Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal

• Investments to make our infrastructure more resilient are a key piece of Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and the Build Back Better Agenda. The President’s FY22 Discretionary Request also includes significant budget increases to enable incorporation of climate impacts into disaster planning and projects to ensure that the nation is rebuilding smarter and safer for the future.

• The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal invests billions of dollars in climate resilience, including more than $8 billion to help western communities prepare for droughts, as part of the largest investment in the resilience of physical and natural systems in American history. These investments include $4.6 billion in aging infrastructure and rural water projects with $400 million to support the WaterSMART program and $2.15 billion for water conservation, recycling, and storage with $250 million for desalination studies and construction to build the nation’s drought resiliency as the West faces ongoing water shortages.

• The Reconciliation framework would tackle the root cause of why droughts are getting worse by investing in clean energy and electric vehicles. It would also put a new, diverse generation of Americans to work through a Civilian Climate Corps that can help conserve and restore public lands and waters. The investments in restoration, reforestation, reclamation, and other activities will not only bolster our nation’s resilience to extreme wildfires, sea level rise, droughts, storms, and other climate impacts, but they will also create a new pathway to good-paying union jobs and provide economic benefits to communities across the nation.

• Taken together, this would represent the largest investment in climate resilience in U.S. history. And that matters: last year, the United States faced 22 extreme weather and climate-related disaster events with losses over $1 billion – a cumulative price tag of nearly $100 billion. Americans around the country have been feeling the effect of climate change and underinvestment in resilience. According to data compiled by FEMA, from 1980 to 2021, there were 28 droughts that each generated over a billion dollars in damages. Those droughts were responsible for more than $261.5 billion in damages and caused 3,910 deaths – the second highest of any natural hazard.

VP Travel Pool #2

Vice President Harris’ motorcade arrived at LAX at 9:56 am PT. She boarded Air Force Two three minutes later, accompanied by Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff. She waved at press pool but did not stop for questions. We are wheels up to Las Vegas at 10:14 am.

VP travel pool #3 - arrival in Las Vegas

Las Vegas arrival was at 11:00 am PT. Per VP office, the Vice President will be greeted by the following officials upon deplaning:

- Col. Kevin Jamieson, Vice Commander, 57th Wing, Nellis Air Force Base
- Governor Steve Sisolak (D-NV) (t)
- Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV-01)
- Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV-03)
- Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV-04)

While we were traveling, her office released the following statement regarding the death of former Sec. Colin Powell:

Statement by Vice President Kamala Harris on the Passing of Secretary Colin Powell

Secretary Colin Powell dedicated his life to defending our nation. As National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State, he was an independent thinker and a barrier breaker who inspired leaders in our military and throughout our nation.

Secretary Powell served our nation with courage, unwavering in his belief in its principles and its promise. The son of immigrants, Secretary Powell rose through the ranks of the United States Army. He was a decorated veteran and a devoted patriot.

I last saw and spoke with Secretary Powell in July, at a dinner honoring German Chancellor Angela Merkel. I was reminded then how he always showed the world the best of who we are. He upheld the highest standards, representing our nation with dignity, grace, and strength.

The legacy that he leaves behind - on America’s national security and on the leaders he mentored - can be seen every day across our nation and the world.

Douglas and I send our deepest condolences to Secretary Powell's wife, Alma Powell, and their children and grandchildren.

VP travel pool # 4 - remarks on Powell

VP Harris addressed the press on AF2 about the death of former Sec. Powell. Quick quotes below, will send full transcripts en route to the Lake Mead event.

"What an incredible American. He obviously served with dignity, he served with grace. He was the epitome of what it means to be strong, but at the same time, so modest in terms of everything that he did and said, in a way that it was never about him and it's about the country, and it was about the people who served with him."

"I just want to say that also, he as the first Black person, Black man to be…Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, to be national security advisor, to be Secretary of State — every step of the way, when he filled those roles, he was by everything that he did and the way he did it, inspiring so many people. And there's been a lot of conversation about that — how young servicemembers and others, not only within the military, but in our nation and around the globe, took notice of what his accomplishments meant as a reflection of who we are as a nation. And I think that's one of the most important things to take away, which is that he broke so many barriers and those barriers were not easy to break by any stretch But he did it with dignity he did it with grace. And because of what he was able to accomplish, it really did elevate our nation in so many ways. So may he Rest In Peace."

[in response to a question about how his death from COVID despite being fully vaccinated may feed into skepticism about the vaccines]

"What happened in terms of his health situation is exactly what the doctors have told us can happen in terms of people who are immunocompromised, people who have pre existing conditions. I think itoday is the day to really reflect on the lights of the man and his extraordinary service and not to politicize the efficacy of vaccines."

Pictures of her giving the remarks will be tweeted at @melmason.

Harris got into her motorcade at 11:29 am and we are en route to Lake Mead, roughly 30 min away.

VP travel pool #5 - full Powell transcript/arrival at Lake Mead

Below is the full transcript of VP Harris' comments on Air Force 2 about Sec. Powell. Note one fix to previous pool report in bold. Motorcade has arrived at Lake Mead at 12:17 pm and pool awaiting VP. It is a bright and blustery day.

Transcript:
"Hey guys, it's going to be very windy out there so I thought I would just take a moment to just talk with you for a second about Secretary Powell. What an extraordinary public servant, American patriot. I last saw him in July, at the dinner -- it was a small dinner, that the President hosted for Chancellor Angela Merkel. She had breakfast with me that morning at the residence. And Secretary Powell and I had a chance to catch up."

"You know, what an incredible American. He obviously served with dignity, he served with grace. He was the epitome of what it means to be strong, but at the same time, so modest in terms of everything that he did and said, in a way that it was never about him and it's about the country, and it was about the people who served with him. We talked a bit about the challenges of this moment and as you all know, he was very supportive of the President and the work that we needed to get done."

"But I just want to say that also -- he is the first Black person, Black man to be Joint Chiefs --Chairman of the Joint Chiefs -- to be National Security Advisor, to be Secretary of State. Every step of the way, when he filled those roles, he was by everything that he did and the way he did it, inspiring so many people. And there's been a lot of conversation about that -- how young servicemembers and others not only within the military, but in our nation and around the globe, took notice of what his accomplishments meant as a reflection of who we are as a nation."

"And I think that's one of the most important things to take away, which is that he broke so many barriers and those barriers were not easy to break by any stretch. But he did it with dignity, he did it with grace. And because of what he was able to accomplish, it really did elevate our nationi n so many ways. So may he rest in peace."

Q: What is your message for the Americans who know that he was fully vaccinated for COVID and now remain skeptical about getting the vaccine. Despite the fact that yes, he did have a cancer diagnosis.

"Well I don't think that -- what happens in terms of his health situation is exactly what the doctors have told us can happen in terms of people who are immunocompromised, people who have pre-existing conditions. I think that today is the day to really reflect on the life of the man and his extraordinary service. And not to politicize the efficacy of vaccines."

VP travel pool #6 - remarks and tour at Lake Mead

Vice President Harris gave brief remarks at Lake Mead to advocate for the administration's infrastructure and Build Back Better plans, pitching the plans as both a job creator and a response to climate change.

She stood at a podium with Lake Mead as her backdrop. The reservoir has dropped 140 feet in the last 20 years, and 20 feet during this calendar year. Below are some selected remarks – please email if you're in need of the full Otter transcript.

"The Build Back Better agenda is thoughtful and foresightful and it really is transformational in the way it will address these issues. So on the issue of the drought, the infrastructure – the bipartisan infrastructure deal – combined with the Build Back Better agenda is about what we need to do to invest in things like water recycling and reuse, what we can do in terms of water desalination, what we can do in terms of implementation of drought contingency plans."

"This is about thinking ahead -- recognizing where we are and where we're headed if we don't address these issues with a sense of urgency. Understanding this is literally about life."

She said the bipartisan infrastructure bill will be about "good union jobs" – "the work that needs to be done to help us build up resiliency, adaptation and also combat the climate crisis." She mentioned pipefitters, electricians, plumbers as examples.

"On the issue of climate, well, the Build Back Better agenda will help us tackle the climate crisis with investments in clean energy and electric vehicles, and so we can reduce emissions. And why do we need to reduce emissions? Because that is part of what is contributing to these drought conditions."

"And it is critical that we as a nation understand that we have within our hands, within our possession, the ability to actually change the course of where we're headed," she said, referencing the lake's steep water drop as a guide to "where we're headed."

"So let's take on a sense of responsibility with a sense of urgency and do something about this in a way that is about satisfying basic needs, which in this case right here is 25 million people who are served by what happens at Lake Mead. Not to mention what we can do that is about future generations. So, let's get these bills passed. Let's understand that right now we have a moment where we have the ability to actually benefit future generations and be transformational in a way that will not only be about life, but about this beautiful planet and beautiful places like Lake Mead."

She began speaking at 1:02 p.m. and finished at 1:08 pm. Before she spoke, she was introduced by Tanya Trujillo, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Dept. of the Interior, as well as three members of the Nevada Congressional delegation: Reps. Dina Titus, Steven Hosford and Susie Lee.

Prior to her remarks, she took a short informational tour about Lake Mead, meeting with a number of experts (names are below). The tour was on a paved cul-de-sac overlooking the lake, and the VP moved from station to station to talk to each expert for a few minutes about on-going projects and concerns from climate change. It was extremely difficult to hear the conversations given the high winds, but she touted the administration's proposed Climate Corps proposal and asked her guides to describe the type of labor jobs that doing local water reclamation projects.

In non-climate news, Harris was greeted by one guide, Daniel Hernandez, Director of Clark County Parks and Recreation, with a "sorry about your Giants," the SF baseball team that recently lost the NL Division Series to the rival LA Dodgers. She responded with a laugh and said "You know, my husband is very happy," [Emhoff is a known Dodgers fan] and then said of her team "We'll live to see another day."

Motorcade left the Lake Mead overlook at 1:11 pm and is heading back to the airport

VP Travel pool #7 - leaving Las Vegas and add'l Lake Mead info

VP Harris posed for a photo with the advance team and then boarded Air Force 2 at 2:10 pm PT to leave Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. She was wheels up heading back to DC at 2:22 pm PT.

Your print pooler, however, is staying in the Pacific time zone and is not traveling with the VP this leg of the trip.

Meanwhile, here’s the full list of officials VP Harris got briefings from with at Lake Mead. Apologies for leaving off the last report:

The Bureau of Reclamation
- David Palumbo, Deputy Commissioner for Operations
- Stacy Wade, Deputy Regional Director, Lower Colorado Basin
- Daniel Bunk, Chief of Boulder Canyon Operations, Lower Colorado Basin

Southern Nevada Water Authority
- Dave Johnson, Deputy General Manager of Operations
- Katie Horn, Management Service Manager

Clark County Parks and Recreation
- Daniel Hernandez, Director of Clark County Parks and Recreation
- Elizabeth Bickmore, Senior Program Administrator, Clark County Wetlands

National Park Service officials:
- Randy Lavasseur, Acting Superintendent of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, National Parks Service
- Justin Pattison, Deputy Superintendent of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, National Parks Service