Harris Delivers Strong Message After Wisconsin School Shooting
Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday urged American leaders to redouble their efforts in addressing gun violence following a tragic school shooting in Wisconsin that claimed the lives of a teacher and a student.
During an appearance in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Harris gave her most detailed public statement since conceding the election to President-elect Donald Trump. She called for immediate and decisive action to tackle the persistent issue of gun violence.
“It’s another school shooting, another community being torn apart by gun violence. Our nation mourned for those who were killed and for those who were injured,” Harris said. “We as a nation must renew our commitment to end the horror of gun violence, both mass shootings and every gun violence that touches so many communities in our nation.”
The current administration made some adjustments to gun regulations but fell short of enacting comprehensive measures, such as a ban on military-style “assault” weapons or mandating universal background checks for all firearm purchases.
During her campaign, Harris had championed these initiatives. However, her proposals often took a backseat to debates on other pressing issues like abortion access. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump centered his campaign on inflation and illegal immigration, key topics that resonated with voters and contributed to his victory, according to the Washington Times.
Both President Joe Biden and Harris unexpectedly canceled planned trips this week, fueling online speculation about their decisions.
Harris was initially scheduled to arrive at Los Angeles International Airport late Thursday evening, Newsweek reported. However, her office stated that she will “not travel to Los Angeles, CA, and will remain in Washington, D.C.” Biden also postponed plans to travel to Delaware for the holidays, citing unspecified reasons.
Some speculate that the ongoing negotiations over government funding, which could lead to a partial shutdown, influenced their choice to stay in Washington.
Vice President-elect JD Vance met with Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP lawmakers Thursday night to discuss government funding as the shutdown deadline approached. The meeting came just hours after a House vote failed to advance a proposed spending measure.
When asked by a reporter in the hallway whether he would accept a funding deal without a debt limit increase, Vance responded, “Look, I’ll say one thing. The Democrats just voted to shut down the government, even though we had a clean CR, because they didn’t want to give the president negotiating leverage during his first term — during the first year of his new term. And number two, because they would rather shut down the government and fight for global censorship bullsh*t. They’ve asked for a shutdown and I think that’s exactly what they’re going to [do].” Vance then exited without addressing additional questions.
Late Thursday, the House rejected a scaled-back spending proposal supported by President-elect Trump, with a vote of 174-235. The measure required a two-thirds majority to bypass standard committee procedures.
As Friday's deadline looms, Congress faces the possibility of a partial government shutdown. The situation became more precarious after a bipartisan agreement to extend the deadline to March 14 fell apart, largely due to opposition from GOP hardliners like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Lawmakers are expected to vote again Friday morning in a final attempt to avoid a shutdown.