Vice President Kamala Harris praises Massachusetts as national leader on abortion rights
BOSTON - Vice President Kamala Harris came to Boston Thursday afternoon and praised Massachusetts as a national leader when it comes to abortion rights.
Harris met with Governor Charlie Baker, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, state legislators and local leaders in a roundtable discussion on reproductive rights at IBEW Local 103 in Dorchester.
"The work that is happening here in Massachusetts is a model of work that can and we believe should happen around the country," the vice president said.
Baker, a Republican, said abortion rights have not been a partisan issue in Massachusetts and that he was glad Harris came to town.
"Some issues cross party lines and this one in particular, I believe, the vast majority of the people of America, and certainly the vast majority of the people in Massachusetts, believe that women should have the right to make the call with their families, their pastors, whomever it is they seek guidance and advice from when it comes to this issue," Baker said.
After the meeting, the vice president will head to Martha's Vineyard for a Democratic National Committee finance event.
This is Harris's first visit to Massachusetts as vice president.
President Joe Biden came to Somerset last month. He held an event at the Brayton Point Power Station on July 20 to announce new climate change actions and then tested positive for COVID the next day.
Harris's visit comes as the Biden Administration takes more steps to protect access to abortions.
The vice president has said she has a "deep sense of outrage" over the Supreme Court's repeal of Roe v. Wade. Her visit to Boston is part of a national tour on the issue of reproductive rights.
After the decision, protests erupted in Boston. Baker signed a bill last month protecting abortion and reproductive rights.
