Earlier this week, comedienne and outspoken Bernie Sanders supporter Sarah Silverman cited an often misrepresented interaction between presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden and former Presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris in a back-and-forth with another user on Twitter.

Silverman’s tweet references what is arguably the most talked about moment of the 2020 Democratic Debates — when Kamala Harris called out Joe Biden for previous comments he made and actions he took with regard to the issue of busing. Though it transpired nearly ten months ago, now that Harris’ name is being floated as a top contender for Biden’s Vice Presidential pick, this exchange seems to be making a resurgence and Silverman is neither the first nor the last to bring it up. So to prevent contributing to the spread of misinformation once again, it is time to get a few things out of the way.

First of all, she did not call him racist.

Her exact words, in fact, were: “I do not believe you are a racist.”

If you do not believe me, you can hear it from Senator Harris herself.

In case you missed that, here it is a little clearer.

If you happen to speak exclusively in gifs, this one is for you:

One last time for the people in the back:

“I do not believe you are a racist.” — Kamala Devi Harris to Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. on the evening of June 27th, 2019

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, here is that exchange in its entirety:

There seems to be a general consensus within a certain faction of the population that Kamala Harris “attacked” Joe Biden. A simple Google search will direct you to dozens of articles with that word splashed across the headline. The truth is that there is much more to this interaction than meets the eye and the use of that word results in both the mischaracterization and oversimplification of a deeply complicated issue.

We live in an era of brevity, an era where memes, gifs, and cancel culture reign supreme and there is little room on the internet for thorough discussions on nuanced, complicated issues. We toss around words as though they bear no weight, not realizing the implications behind them. The word “attack” carries with it heavily negative connotations and plays into the pejorative stereotype of the Angry Black Woman.

Senator Harris said, “I do not believe you are a racist and I agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground, but I also believe and it’s personal — and I was actually very — it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States Senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country.”

Expressing that someone’s actions have caused you pain is a far cry from launching an unsubstantiated attack on his character.

The fact that Harris is the one who was painted in a negative light after this interaction is very telling of the way society views women of color. Black and brown people often face more consequences for calling out bad behavior in white folks than white folks do for their bad behavior. That is the norm, not the exception.

The media’s rush to summarize that Harris-Biden exchange in one sentence demonstrates a widespread lack of understanding of what it means to be a minority in this country. This comes as no surprise seeing as most major newsrooms are still overwhelmingly white. No, she does not hate him and he does not hate her. Just because they disagreed on something does not mean they disagree on everything. That is not how it works.

Sometimes people you like say things you do not like. Sometimes people you like do things you do not like. It is not an uncommon part of the minority experience in the United States to hear comments that denigrate our very existence uttered by people who are supposed to be on our side. Many of us can attest to the fact that we pick and choose which battles to fight. If we “canceled” every white person that has ever said or done something derogatory toward us, we would not have any white friends left.

This is why that debate exchange was all too familiar. The fact of the matter is that people you care about and who care about you should be able to understand that their words can be hurtful, even in a professional atmosphere. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

So let’s be clear: standing up for myself does not mean I am attacking you. Kamala Harris standing up for herself and her community does not mean she was attacking Joe Biden.

It is not difficult to gain insight into where her priorities lie. In a speech at Spelman College on October 26, 2018, Harris, who serves on several Senate Committees, said with immense clarity, “I know when I am there I am standing on the shoulders of so many people who mentored me, who were the role models for me, who were leaders who nurtured me either directly or indirectly and lifted me up. And so when I’m there, I certainly feel a duty to speak on behalf of so many people who are not in that room and people who, historically, have never been in that room.”

Is that not the point? We elect government officials to speak on our behalf and they should not be afraid to do so. It is not too far-fetched to assume that Harris carried those same values with her onto that debate stage.

It is important to note that she did not “get in line” as Silverman claims she did. What she did do is try to use her voice to hold Joe Biden accountable on an issue that affects the base of the Democratic party. Biden himself should want a partner who can elevate his candidacy and help him make more informed, present decisions, even if it means having difficult conversations along the way.

While nothing is for certain, there is a very good chance we will see Kamala Harris as Joe Biden’s running mate and deservedly so. Her fundamental understanding of every level of government from local to federal provides her with an extremely versatile set of skills. As the second Black woman and first Indian-American to ever serve in the United States Senate, she would be the first woman, first woman of color, first Black, and first Indian-American Vice President. Most importantly, she is qualified for the job and Joe Biden knows that.

If Kamala Harris does end up being his Vice President, many people will attempt to use the aforementioned exchange out of context as a way to derail her credibility. An article from The Washington Post, as recently as April 8, 2020, lists Harris as the most logical VP pick while making sure to include that “the one person she attacked in rather personal terms during the primary was Biden.” In the grand scheme of things and especially given the current occupant in the White House, it is incredibly irresponsible to give any more air time to this type of baseless narrative. We have the opportunity to avoid making the same mistakes we made in 2016 and the onus is on us to do so.

We expect more from a national media that has been historically unkind to women of color and we should, but none of it matters unless we are willing to change the way we ourselves contribute to the larger conversation.

Updated on 8/12/20

Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) suspended her historic 2020 campaign for President of the United States on December 3, 2019. In a field of 25 Democratic candidates where there can be only one nominee, 24 campaigns have unfortunately met the same fate. Of those former candidates, 7 are active Senators in the 116th United States Congress (Klobuchar (D-MN), Warren (D-MA), Booker (D-NJ), Bennet (D-CO), Gillibrand (D-NY), Sanders (D-VT), and Harris) with the unique platform as elected officials to actually attempt to implement the policies they advocated for during their respective presidential runs.

On December 9, 2019, six days after the culmination of her Presidential campaign, Kamala Harris was back in the Senate, leading 26 of her Democratic colleagues in calling for the removal of Stephen Miller, a renowned white supremacist, from his position as a White House Senior Advisor.

Here are the pieces of legislation she has since introduced and cosponsored:

1. Harris joined Sens. Collins (R-ME) and Stabenow (D-MI) in honoring the first all-female spacewalk and supporting the efforts of NASA to “fully integrate women into the astronaut corps; and ensure that one of the next humans to walk on the Moon will be a woman.”
2. The Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act, a bill introduced by Harris and Sen. Feinstein (D-CA), was passed by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
3. Harris joined Sen. Blumenthal (D-CT) in introducing the Safe Gun Storage Act to establish “a consumer product safety standard for firearm locks; and a consumer product safety standard for firearm safes.”
4. Harris cosponsored Sen. Sanders’ No War Against Iran Act which “prohibit[s] the use of funds for military force against Iran, and for other purposes.”
5. Harris joined Sen. Blumenthal in “reaffirm[ing] the strong bipartisanship of the United States to promote the safety, health, and well-being of refugees,” and calling upon Congress to “resettle a robust number of refugees to meet its share of the global need.”
6. Harris, along with Sens. Coons (D-DE) and Brown (D-OH), introduced the Allowing Steady Savings by Eliminating Tests Act, which seeks to “eliminate asset limits employed by certain Federally-funded means-tested public assistance programs, and for other purposes.”
7. Harris joined Sens. Udall (D-NM) and Merkley (D-OR) in introducing the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2020 to limit the production of single-use plastics, hold producers accountable for their packaging, and “prevent pollution from consumer products and packaging from entering into animal and human food chains and waterways.”
8. Harris and Sen. Feinstein introduced the PUBLIC Lands Act, “a package of three previously introduced bills that would increase protections and access for over 1 million acres of California lands, including nearly 600,000 acres of new wilderness and over 100,000 acres of new national monument.”
9. Harris introduced a resolution expressing her aforementioned call for the resignation of Stephen Miller, condemning him “for trafficking in bigotry, hatred, and divisive political rhetoric and for promoting policies that are inconsistent with the trust and confidence placed in him as a Senior Advisor to the President.”
10. Harris joined Sen. Menendez (D-NJ) in seeking to “end the epidemic of gun violence and build safer communities by strengthening Federal firearms laws and supporting gun violence research, intervention, and prevention initiatives.”
11. Harris, along with U.S. Rep. Underwood (IL-14), Rep. Adams (NC-12) and the Black Maternal Health Caucus, unveiled the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2020*, a package of nine historic bills addressing the multifaceted maternal health crisis in the United States which disproportionately affects Black women.
12. Harris introduced the Pandemic Disaster Assistance Act to add pandemics to the list of crises during which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is allowed to provide direct financial assistance to individuals.
13. Harris joined Sen. Baldwin (D-WI) to introduce legislation that would combat the shortage of medical supplies for healthcare workers and “provide for the expedited procurement of equipment needed to combat COVID-19 under the Defense Production Act of 1950.”
14. In light of the rampant spread of COVID-19, Harris and Sen. Booker introduced the Emergency Community Supervision Act of 2020, which would “immediately place vulnerable individuals — those who are pregnant, those with underlying health issues, and those who are age 50 or older — in community supervision outside of prison, unless they pose a violent threat to the community.”
15. Harris joined Sen. Markey (D-MA) in calling for a “nationwide moratorium on electric and natural gas utility disconnections during the nationwide emergency relating to the spread of the novel coronavirus.” This would also include putting a stop to late fees, penalties, and rate hikes for the duration of the pandemic.
16. Harris and Sen. Hirono (D-HI) along with Reps. Chu (CA-27), Grijalva (AZ-3), and Correa (CA-46) introduced the Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act to “modify immigration policies that would deter immigrants from seeking health services for the duration of the coronavirus emergency and for 60 days after the emergency ends,” and ensure that those in vulnerable communities have equal access to resources and information.
17. Harris and Sen. Warren introduced the Senate companion to the Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would “prohibit price gouging of consumer goods throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergencies.”
18. Harris, along with Sens. Feinstein, Markey, and Blumenthal, plans to introduce legislation “establishing a bipartisan commission to examine the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.”
19. Harris and Sen. Schatz (D-HI) introduced legislation to “establish the America Forward Commission to create a strategy to reopen the economy, and for other purposes.”
20. In response to the racial disparities being exacerbated by the recent pandemic, Harris and Sen. Warren introduced the Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act to report all COVID-19 testing, treatment, and outcome data “disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, age, socioeconomic status, disability status, county, and other demographic information.”
21. Harris, along with Sens. Feinstein and Heinrich (D-NM), cosponsored the Coronavirus Community Relief Act, which would provide vital funding to small, rural communities who are struggling under the burden of growing COVID-19-related costs.
22. Harris introduced the VoteSafe Act** to protect access to the polls in light of the coronavirus outbreak. This bill seeks to “expand vote by mail and early voting, and to improve the safety, accessibility, and efficiency of in-person voting during elections for Federal office.” It would also require states to implement early voting for a minimum of twenty days while extending protections for voters with disabilities, language minority voters, American Indian, Alaskan Native, and rural voters.
23. Harris, along with Sens. Gillibrand and Sanders, introduced the Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2020, which would amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to increase the baseline for SNAP benefits, eliminate certain eligibility limits, and extend SNAP benefits to the residents of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
24. Harris joined Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-35) in unveiling legislation that would “repeal a massive tax giveaway for a small group of wealthy taxpayers that Republicans included in the coronavirus relief bill.”
25. Harris introduced the COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force Act to “gather data about disproportionately affected communities and provide recommendations to combat the racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID–19 response.” This would eventually lead to the permanent formation of an Infectious Disease Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force.
26. Harris, along with Sen. Scott (R-SC) and Chef José Andrés, introduced the FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries (FEED) Act, which calls upon FEMA to “partner with small and midsize restaurants and nonprofit organizations to provide nutritious meals to individuals in need.”
27. Harris and Rep. Pressley (MA-7) announced the Saving Our Street (SOS) Act*** that seeks to amplify support for micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees. 75% of the proposed $124.5 billion fund would be allocated to minority-owned businesses.
28. Harris joined Sens. Casey (D-PA), Jones (D-AL), Wyden (D-OR), Kaine (D-VA), and Brown in proposing the Emergency Funding for Child Protection Act, which would “provide emergency funding for caseworkers and child protective services” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
29. Harris, in conjunction with Sens. Sanders and Markey, introduced the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act, which would “provide monthly rebates to every individual residing in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic.” The legislation calls for individuals earning less than $120k to receive monthly payments of $2000 for the duration of and for three months following the coronavirus pandemic.
30. Harris joined Sens. Markey, Warren, Blumenthal, and Murphy (D-CT) in introducing the Cash Refunds for Coronavirus Cancellations Act of 2020, which ensures that travelers are fully reimbursed for “canceled airline flights and tickets during the COVID-19 emergency.”
31. Harris, along with Sens. Feinstein and Cornyn (R-TX), introduced the Stopping Doctor Shortages Act, which would “amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include certain employment as a health care practitioner as eligible for public service loan forgiveness” in Texas and California.
32. Harris, in conjunction with Sens. Hirono and Duckworth (D-IL), introduced a resolution “condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19.
33. Harris joined Sen. Sanders in introducing the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act to “provide reimbursements for certain costs of health care items and services” and reduce out-of-pocket expenses for individuals affected by COVID-19.
34. Harris joined Sen. Durbin (D-IL) in “expressing support for the designation of June 5, 2020, as ‘National Gun Violence Awareness Day’ and June 2020 as ‘National Gun Violence Awareness Month.’”
35. Harris, along with Sens. Booker and Markey, introduced a resolution “to eliminate the qualified immunity defense for law enforcement officers.”
36. Harris and Sen. Booker introduced the Justice in Policing Act of 2020****, which seeks to “hold law enforcement accountable for misconduct in court, improve transparency through data collection, and reform police training and policies.” The bill would prohibit discriminatory profiling and require mandatory bias training for law enforcement, as well as ban no-knock warrants, carotid holds, and chokeholds. It would also establish a National Police Misconduct Registry and issue grants to help communities reform their public safety approaches. The Justice for Victims of Lynching Act, which would recognize lynching as a federal hate crime, is included in this historic legislation.
37. In the wake of the helicopter crash that killed NBA star Kobe Bryant and seven other individuals, Harris joined Sens. Feinstein, Schumer (D-NY), Gillibrand, Blumenthal, and Markey in introducing a bill requiring “certain helicopters to be equipped with safety technologies,” including “crash-resistant Flight Data Recorders, Cockpit Voice 18 Recorders, and Terrain Awareness and Warning 19 Systems.”
38. Harris, along with Sens. Warren, Blumenthal, and Coons, introduced the Coronavirus Oversight and Recovery Ethics (CORE) Act “to ensure ethical and accountable use of COVID–19 relief funds.”
39. Harris and Reps. Speier (CA-14) and Raskin (MD-8) introduced the COVID-19 Whistleblower Protection Act to “protect certain whistleblowers seeking to ensure accountability and oversight of the Nation’s COVID–19 pandemic response.”
40. Harris joined Sens. Coons and Wicker (R-MS) in unveiling the Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act, which would “amend the national service laws to prioritize national service programs and projects that are directly related to the response to and recovery from the COVID–19 public health emergency.”
41. Harris and the Senate Democrats proposed a resolution to recognize June 2020 as “‘LGBTQ Pride Month.”
42. Harris and Sen. Schatz plan to introduce the Fair and Accurate Census Act, which, in light of delays caused by COVID-19, would provide the Census Bureau “statutory relief from the deadlines for delivering apportionment data and redistricting data to the states.”
43. Harris, along with Sens. Markey, Booker, and Smith (D-MN), will announce the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which would recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
44. Harris introduced the Paycheck Protection Program Transparency Act to “require reporting on the paycheck protection program of the Small Business Administration” in an effort to ensure that funds are being directed where they should be and that small businesses, particularly minority-owned small businesses, are not excluded from receiving financial assistance.
45. Harris joined Sens. Feinstein and Blumenthal in introducing the Background Check Completion Act, which would “prohibit firearms dealers from selling a firearm prior to the completion of a background check.”
46. Harris joined Sen. Booker to introduce a resolution recognizing “the contributions of African Americans to the musical heritage of the United States and the need for greater access to music education for African-American students and designating June 2020 as African American Music Appreciation Month.”
47. Harris, along with Sens. Schatz, Murkowski (R-AK), and Paul (R-KY) introduced the bipartisan Harris-Schatz-Murkowski-Paul amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would limit the transfer of certain military equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies.
48. Harris introduced the Improving Pandemic Preparedness and Response Through Diplomacy Act to require the appointment of a Special Presidential Envoy for the purpose of developing a strategy to prepare for and respond to pandemics and other infectious diseases.
49. Harris joined Sen. Tester (D-MT) to urge the Department of Justice to defend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act “and halt its efforts to repeal, sabotage, or undermine health care protections for millions of people in the United States in the midst of the public health emergency relating to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19).”
50. Harris joined Sen. Baldwin in introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 to ensure “the expedited and transparent procurement and distribution of equipment and supplies needed to combat COVID–19.”
51. Harris and Sen. Klobuchar introduced the Senate companion to the House Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, which would invest $100 billion “to make high-speed broadband internet service accessible and affordable to all Americans.”
52. Harris introduced a resolution to amend the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to “require news outlets that are agents of a foreign principal to provide adequate disclosure of their status.”
53. Harris, along with Sens. Brown, Casey, and Cortez-Masto (D-NV), introduced the Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act, which would “invest in the health, safety, and wellbeing of children, youth, and families” and “increase support for services to prevent foster care and the ability of courts to serve families.”
54. Harris joined Sens. Cardin (D-MD), Cantwell (D-WA), Schumer, Booker, and Cortez-Masto in introducing the Minority Business Resiliency Act to “make the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), which was created by Executive Order in 1969, permanent and expand the reach of the agency by creating regional MBDA offices, strengthening its grant making capacity, and increasing its coordination with other federal agencies.”
55. Harris introduced the Water for Tomorrow Act to “provide for drought preparedness and improved water supply reliability.” She had previously introduced similar provisions in the Water Justice Act in July 2019.
56. Harris introduced the COVID-19 Bias and Anti-Racism Training Act, which seeks to “establish or improve bias and anti-racism training to help reduce racial and ethnic disparities in COVID–19 testing, treatment, health outcomes, and vaccine access.”
57. Harris introduced the Rent Emergencies Leave Impacts on Evicted Families (RELIEF) Act*****, which would provide relief for renters and homeowners and protect tenants and mortgage holders while holding landlords accountable. It would ban evictions and foreclosures for a year, ban rent increases, and give tenants up to 18 months to pay back missed rent payments. It also would prevent landlords from reporting unpaid rent to credit bureaus for a year and prevent utility companies from shutting off access for 18 months.
58. Harris, along with Sens. Warner (D-VA), Schumer, and Booker, proposed the Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act to “establish community investment programs” in low-income and minority areas that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
59. Harris partnered with Rep. Slotkin (MI-8) in the House to introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requiring the submission of a report on “all threats to the United States Armed Forces and personnel of the United States from the Russian Federation and associated agents, entities, and proxies.”
60. Harris joined together with Sens. Warner and Booker to introduce a resolution “declaring racism a public health crisis.”
61. Harris and Rep. Pressley introduced the Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program (HELP) Act to “create a database of eviction information, establish grant programs for eviction prevention and legal aid, and limit use of housing court-related records in consumer reports.”
62. Harris joined Sen. Sanders in introducing the Masks for All Act of 2020, which would “provide, manufacture, and distribute high quality face masks for every individual in the United States during the COVID–19 emergency using the Defense Production Act and other means.”
63. Harris, in conjunction with Sens. Warren and Merkley, introduced the Emergency Water and Energy is a Human Right Act, which would “protect Americans’ access to the water and power necessary for households to safely maintain social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
64. Harris introduced the Environmental Justice for All Act****** to “restore, reaffirm, and reconcile environmental justice and civil rights, provide for the establishment of the Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice Compliance and Enforcement, and for other purposes.”
65. Harris introduced the Uterine Fibroids Research and Education Act, which would “provide for research and education with respect to uterine fibroids” and ensure that women are able to receive the care and treatment they need.
66. Harris, along with Sens. Sinema (D-AZ) and Cornyn, introduced the bipartisan Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act to amend the Social Security Act to ensure that special districts which provide services such as fire, water, and power are eligible to receive federal funds in the next coronavirus relief fund.
67. Harris joined Sens. Bennet, Hirono, Blumenthal, and Shaheen (D-NH) in introducing legislation to “amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow States to provide coverage under the Medicaid program for vaccines and treatment for COVID–19 for uninsured individuals without the imposition of cost sharing requirements.”
68. Harris, in conjunction with Sens. Warner and Smith, introduced the Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act of 2020, which would amend the CARES Act to “provide Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to individuals with mixed income sources,” including independent contractors.
69. Harris joined Sens. Van Hollen (D-MD), Menendez, and Booker in introducing legislation that would amend the CARES Act to “modify the membership requirements of the Congressional Oversight Commission” so that minority communities who have been most affected by COVID-19 are represented on the Board.
70. Harris, along with Sens. Hirono, Gillibrand, and Smith, introduced the Impact Aid Infrastructure Act, which would provide “$1 billion in supplemental funding for school infrastructure construction grants through the Impact Aid program”
71. Harris and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) introduced the groundbreaking Climate Equity Act, to “ensure climate and environmental justice accountability.” The year-long effort states that “people in the United States have the right to a clean, healthful, and sustainable environment” and that the federal government will need to address several systemic injustices in order to realize that right.
72. Harris joined Sen. Markey in introducing legislation “recognizing, commemorating, and celebrating the 55th anniversary of the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to ensuring the continued vitality of the Act and the protection of the voting rights of all citizens of the United States.”
73. Harris, along with Sens. Warren, Gillibrand, Booker, and Smith, and Rep. Underwood, introduced the Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act, which would “improve the public health response to addressing maternal mortality and morbidity during the COVID–19 public health emergency.”

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In addition to the above list, Sen. Harris has been at the forefront of the following issues, including but not limited to:

• including funding to protect incarcerated individuals in the next COVID-19 package
• protecting unaccompanied children seeking humanitarian protection at the US-Mexico border
• advocating for access to free telephone and video conferencing for incarcerated people in light of the suspension of in-person visits due to COVID-19
• addressing reports of retaliation among workers of color who report COVID-19 workplace concerns
• investigating President Trump’s use of his office and foreign relations for personal gain
• confronting potential violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act by lenders who use educational data to make credit decisions
• urging Facebook to stop the spread of climate change disinformation on its platform
• demanding answers on the United States Postal Service’s plans to secure vote-by-mail for upcoming elections
• pressing the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold a hearing on the John Lewis Voting Rights Amendment Act which would curtail voter suppression
• providing TPS protections to Venezuelans fleeing the Maduro regime
• calling for fixes to the Public Service loan forgiveness program to ensure that frontline workers are able to receive the student loan forgiveness they have earned
• requesting provisions in future legislation to prohibit the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice from infringing on the constitutional rights of Americans
• urging the Department of Health and Human Services to strengthen efforts to protect pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic
• investigating the deployment of anonymous federal law enforcement agents against protesters across the country
• reopening DACA for new applicants
• calling out the Trump administration for misrepresenting the cost of climate change to the U.S. economy
• demanding information related to the intelligence that Russia had offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing U.S. soldiers deployed in Afghanistan
• fighting to protect the status of international students on F-1 and M-1 visas studying online at U.S. colleges and universities
• calling for the implementation of the Death in Custody Reporting Act to obtain data on the number of individuals who die each year while in police custody or during the course of an arrest
• protecting transgender workers from discrimination
• urging the Trump administration to hold China accountable for its genocidal persecution of Uyghur women
• pursuing stronger EPA standards to protect Americans from particulate matter
• including federal funding for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in the next COVID-19 package
• seeking information on the Strategic National Stockpile’s depleted PPE and medical supplies
• demanding answers on ICE and CBP’s involvement in policing nationwide protests
• investigating political interference by the Trump administration in COVID-19 testing and relief efforts
• ensuring that law enforcement does not engage in practices that could exacerbate the spread of COVID-19
• opposing the unilateral annexation of the West Bank
• appointing a chairperson of the Congressional Oversight Commission to oversee the management and distribution of CARES Act funding
• reviewing the federal government’s use of rubber bullets and less-lethal weapons on peaceful protesters
• investigating Bill Barr’s misdeeds as Attorney General of the United States
• fighting for student safety and protection under Title IX
• opposing the use of military force to suppress protests throughout the United States
• pressing the DOJ and Bureau of Prisons on why Trump associates have been transferred to home confinement while vulnerable inmates remain incarcerated during the coronavirus pandemic
• requesting the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to publicize the methods it has taken to protect incarcerated youth from COVID-19
• including relief funding for children’s hospitals in the next COVID-19 relief package
• demanding an independent DOJ investigation into the murder of Breonna Taylor
• ensuring rural Tribal communities have equal access to mobile services and internet
• pushing to allow furloughed Yosemite National Park employees to remain in subsidized housing during the COVID-19 pandemic
• encrypting phone calls between the House and Senate to protect them from foreign surveillance
• allocating additional funding for state unemployment agencies to upgrade their online platforms and increase staff
• holding Facebook accountable for failing to protect users from hate speech and misinformation
• setting up a federal fund to compensate frontline workers for the costs associated with working during the COVID-19 pandemic
• addressing the water affordability crisis
• upgrading wastewater infrastructure at the US-Mexico border in San Diego County
• demanding an independent DOJ investigation into the murder of Ahmaud Arbery
• expanding home delivery and curbside pickup for SNAP recipients
• demanding transparency with regard to distribution of remdesivir to hospitals
• including additional funding for Tribal and Urban Indian health facilities in the next coronavirus relief package
• combating the recent uptick in hate crimes against the AAPI community
• protecting the scientific research community and its resources during the COVID-19 pandemic
• calling for a tax credit expansion during the coronavirus crisis
• pushing for an accurate count of COVID-19 deaths
• combating technical difficulties associated with the PPP portal
• pressing the U.S. Forest Service on its wildfire season plans amidst the COVID-19 outbreak
• calling for the prioritization of people with disabilities in the next coronavirus relief bill
• advocating for the inclusion of a $50 billion childcare bailout in the next coronavirus relief bill
• urging the Bureau of Prisons to release system-wide demographic data as it pertains to COVID-19
• requesting an extension on the comment period for net neutrality repeal for first responders
• making oral cancer medications more affordable
• supporting radio and television broadcasters and rural newspapers during the coronavirus outbreak
• demanding that FEMA meet the unique needs of communities of color, in light of their longstanding history in failing to do so
• allowing college students continued access to SNAP benefits
• making Economic Impact payments available to those without internet
• ensuring that small business in the cannabis industry have access to SBA funding
• calling for an investigation into the Trump administration’s handling of COVID-19
• releasing detained children in HHS custody amid the COVID-19 pandemic
• protecting coronavirus relief funding from for-profit colleges
• extending the authorization for the National Guard to fight COVID-19
• mandating racial profiling training for all law enforcement agencies
• preventing debt collectors from seizing coronavirus stimulus checks
• ensuring that minority-owned businesses have access to PPP funds
• calling for the automatic extension of work authorizations for DACA and TPS recipients for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic
• increasing vital resources for the child welfare system
• securing the safe and timely return of Americans stranded overseas due to COVID-19 travel restrictions
• recurring monthly payments for low income communities for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak
• increasing funding for public defenders
• reopening the ACA marketplace for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic
• requesting the release of demographic-specific COVID-19 testing data
• calling out the need to fill vacant inspector general positions in the federal government
• ensuring the automatic issuance of stimulus checks to veterans and Social Security recipients
• calling on the EPA to stop the rollback of environmental standards during the COVID-19 outbreak
• demanding transparency from the federal government on the allocation of resources amid the coronavirus crisis
• expanding internet access for low income Americans throughout the COVID-19 crisis
• increasing childcare resources for healthcare workers
• expediting cash payments as outlined in the CARES Act
• identifying and addressing racial disparities in access to COVID-19 testing and treatment
• enacting paid leave protections for all
• assisting victims and survivors of domestic violence during the COVID-19 outbreak
• protecting DACA recipients
• calling for major health insurance companies to provide full coverage for COVID-19 testing and treatment
• extending guaranteed healthcare access for Americans with HIV and the LGBTQ community
• seeking answers on coronavirus preparedness in immigration detention facilities
• exposing racial disparities in the federal student loan system
• investigating the politicization of the DOJ
• demanding answers about reports of mistreatment of pregnant detainees by CBP
• holding Amazon accountable for reports of unsafe working conditions
• enacting election security measures
• investigating the connection between the federal government and the private prison industry
• extending protections for Somali refugees
• opposing increases to immigration-related fees
• defending the Indian Child Welfare Act
• facilitating research on medical marijuana

*Additional Information on the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act: https://www.essence.com/feature/black-maternal-health-crisis-kamala-harris/

**Additional Information on the VoteSafe Act: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/kamala-harris-coronavirus-election-bill-984898/

***Additional Information on the Save Our Street Act: https://www.vox.com/2020/5/6/21249161/kamala-harris-ayanna-pressley-small-businesses-plan

****Additional Information on the Justice in Policing Act of 2020: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/cory-booker-kamala-harris-black-lives-congress-1020909/ & https://twitter.com/i/status/1275428398035275781

***** Additional Information on the RELIEF Act: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/16/kamala-harris-housing-evictions-366413

****** Additional Information on the Environmental Justice for All Act: https://grist.org/justice/exclusive-kamala-harris-to-introduce-comprehensive-environmental-justice-bill-in-senate/

Kamala Harris’ stances on a variety of policy issues are available at https://kamalaharris.org/agenda/

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