CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte Saturday afternoon, rallying reproductive rights advocates. The visit took place on the one-year anniversary of the decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade. It also comes ahead of the enactment of North Carolina's new abortion law.
The new law bans almost all abortions after 12 weeks. The current law allows abortions for up to 20 weeks.
The bill was passed by the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly in a vote to override Governor Cooper's veto.
Notable state Democratic leaders, from Gov. Roy Cooper to Attorney General Josh Stein, took the stage before the vice president. A surprise guest also made an appearance Saturday: actress Tatyana Ali, known for her role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Once Harris took the stage, she made clear the Biden administration planned to prioritize abortion rights and protections nationwide.
“Congress must pass legislation that restores the protections of Roe. And when they do, President Biden will sign it," she said in her remarks.
Harris also took aim at congressional conservatives who have floated the idea of nationwide abortion bans, promising that wouldn't happen.