Khaleda Rahman -
Kamala Harris used her first late-night network TV appearance since becoming vice president to urge people to "speak" with their vote as she called the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade a "travesty of justice."
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a moderated discussion on reproductive rights at LBJ Presidential Library on October 08, 2022 in Austin, Texas.
© Rick Kern/Getty Images for NARAL Pro-Choice America
In an appearance on NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers on Monday night, Harris said Justice Clarence Thomas had said "the quiet part out loud" when he urged his colleagues to revisit decisions about same-sex marriage, gay sex and contraception in a concurring opinion to the Dobbs decision that eliminated constitutional protections for abortion.
"The highest court in our land just took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America, from the women of America," Harris said.
"The significance of that is profound in terms of what it means for the rights of individuals and in particular, for the right of an individual to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do."
The rollback of abortion rights "affects all genders," Harris said. "If you have a partner, if you have a sister, if you have an aunt, a mother, this affects you."
"Not to mention on the Dobbs decision when Justice Clarence Thomas said the quiet part out loud, which is that when they took the constitutional right from women on reproductive choice, that he said that in line, in terms of what might come next is your right to contraception. That will affect all genders," Harris added.
"Your right to marry the person you love, same point. And so there is so much on the line with these issues that affects everyone and the people you love," Harris said.
"And for that reason, let's take it seriously and let's, you know, speak with our vote and undo what I think is a great travesty of justice."
Harris said that if Democrats can win a further two seats in the Senate in November, President Joe Biden could sign the Women's Health Protection Act, which would prohibit "governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services" into law.
The passage of the act "would put into law the protections of Roe v. Wade," Harris said.
Harris also spoke on the issue of maternal health, noting that women "are still dying in connection with childbirth" in the U.S.
She pointed out the racial disparities in maternal deaths, noting that Black women are three times more likely to die and Native American women are twice as likely to die.
"A lot of it has to do with again, the disparities in the health care system and that we are not putting enough attention and resources and priority into women's needs especially as it relates to their reproductive health," she said.
Newsweek has reached out to the vice president's office for further comment.
In an appearance on NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers on Monday night, Harris said Justice Clarence Thomas had said "the quiet part out loud" when he urged his colleagues to revisit decisions about same-sex marriage, gay sex and contraception in a concurring opinion to the Dobbs decision that eliminated constitutional protections for abortion.
"The highest court in our land just took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America, from the women of America," Harris said.
"The significance of that is profound in terms of what it means for the rights of individuals and in particular, for the right of an individual to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do."
The rollback of abortion rights "affects all genders," Harris said. "If you have a partner, if you have a sister, if you have an aunt, a mother, this affects you."
"Not to mention on the Dobbs decision when Justice Clarence Thomas said the quiet part out loud, which is that when they took the constitutional right from women on reproductive choice, that he said that in line, in terms of what might come next is your right to contraception. That will affect all genders," Harris added.
"Your right to marry the person you love, same point. And so there is so much on the line with these issues that affects everyone and the people you love," Harris said.
"And for that reason, let's take it seriously and let's, you know, speak with our vote and undo what I think is a great travesty of justice."
Harris said that if Democrats can win a further two seats in the Senate in November, President Joe Biden could sign the Women's Health Protection Act, which would prohibit "governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services" into law.
The passage of the act "would put into law the protections of Roe v. Wade," Harris said.
Harris also spoke on the issue of maternal health, noting that women "are still dying in connection with childbirth" in the U.S.
She pointed out the racial disparities in maternal deaths, noting that Black women are three times more likely to die and Native American women are twice as likely to die.
"A lot of it has to do with again, the disparities in the health care system and that we are not putting enough attention and resources and priority into women's needs especially as it relates to their reproductive health," she said.
Newsweek has reached out to the vice president's office for further comment.
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