FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2020
Contact: Alexa Garcia-Ditta, alexa@conwaystrategic.com
WASHINGTON D.C.—Today, All* Above All Action Fund, One Fair Wage Action Fund and Jobs with Justice applaud the historic selection of Senator Kamala Harris as the Democratic vice- presidential candidate. Throughout her time in the U.S. Senate, Kamala Harris demonstrated her support for lifting the Hyde Amendment by signing on as an original cosponsor to the EACH Woman Act.
The harms caused by abortion coverage bans, including the Hyde Amendment, and low wages alike fall hardest on those who already face significant barriers to getting health care, including women of color, immigrants, young people, and LGBTQ folks. Women of color are overrepresented in jobs that pay less than $15/hour and bear the brunt of the wage gap. Research shows that economic barriers force women to delay abortion care, and low wages can make it impossible for many to pay for an abortion out-of-pocket if insurance coverage is denied.
The groups released the following statements on the VP nominee announcement:
Morgan Hopkins, Director of Political Strategies, All* Above All Action Fund —
“The Hyde Amendment represents everything women of color, especially Black women, are up against—policies that target them if they are poor, pregnant, or heaven forbid, both. We’re ready to change that, and we want a ticket that knows and is committed to families that thrive. Kamala Harris has demonstrated a deep commitment to compassionate, inclusive policies that ensure each of us can live, work, and make decisions about our future, with dignity and economic security. Now is the time for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to reimagine a world in which each of us makes a living wage and can access the healthcare we need, including abortion. That starts with a clear plan for ending the Hyde Amendment.”
Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage Action Fund —
“The women who put food on our tables — our servers, bartenders, cooks — too often struggle to put food on their own. Many who are living paycheck to paycheck, and an unexpected medical expense can push them into poverty. We appreciate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris naming One Fair Wage as part of their platform and look forward to working with them to get it passed into law. But service workers also face heightened barriers to health care due to the pandemic, and join our sister organizations in calling on Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to show us their plan to ensure low-wage workers can get the health care, including abortion care, that they need to care for their families and thrive in their communities.”
Erica Smiley, Executive Director, Jobs With Justice
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed longstanding structural inequities in our economy and workplace practices. Alongside VP candidate Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s campaign must present their plans to ensure decent working conditions, fair wages, and an active voice for workers in decision-making. Additionally, given that nearly half of the US labor force—women—also manage multiple jobs on top of domestic labor, the campaign must fight for access to reproductive health care, including abortion, so that all working people and their families can make sustainable economic choices and live with dignity.”
