abortion and contraception laws in the u.s. at 9:30 p.m. on the presidency, h love letters.le no sides - exploring the american story, watch american history tv, saturdays on c-span2, and find a full schedule on your program guide or watch online, anytime at c-span.org/history. >> vice president harris toward a minnesota planned parenthood clinic that offers abortion services. it was historic. , she is the first vice presen and reproductive health care rights have been a priority for the biden administration and the reelection bid since the supreme court overturned roe v. wade in june 2022.

this is about 15 minutes. vice pres. harris: good afternoon, everyone. i first of all want to think the governor for your leadership -- to thank the governor for your leadership. you been a great advisor president and be, and thank you for all of that. congresswoman, she is an extraordinary leader. she is strong, powerful, committed and working on behalf of the people of the state and i thank you for traveling with me. >> it was an honor. vice pres. harris: mayor, wq/e shared a lot of stories about your leadership and i know you have a lot of support in the city for the work you have done. thank you for that. have asked why am i here at this facility in

particular? i will tell you it is because right now in our country we are facing aserious health crisis. and the crisis is affecting many many people in our country, most of whom)q are silently sufferin. after the united states supreme court took a constitutiona rit recognized from the people of america, from the women of america, in states around our countries -- have proposed and passed laws that h ave denied women access to reproductive health cand the st. i've heard stories and have met [inaudible] women who are being denied emergency care because their health care provider is there,

they are afraid because of the laws interstates they could be criminalized, sent to prison for providing health care. i'm here at this health care clinic to uplifthe work that is happening in minnesota. as an example of what truly leadership -- true leadership looks like, which is to understand. it is always right and fair that people have access to the health care they need and that they have access to health■f care inn environment where they are treated with dignity and respect and -- do understand at about as this, it is absolutely about health care and reproductive health care. uterus. that part of the body has a lot ofed time.

fibroids. 6ubreast cancer screenings. contraceptive care. that is the kind of work that happens here. in■b addition, of course, to abortion care. to have laws in states that have clinics like this to shut down so that women have no access to any -- regardless of his vital care, that is necessary for their health. [inaudible] again, ish say thank you to the governor, the congresswoman, the mayor. and the doctor and others who work here, and the staff. this includes having people here who go out and talk to young people, our young people in high school. in some of p ed -- our young

people to learn about our bodies and re from social media. often with a profound amount of them confused about what is happening to their own bodies. the work that happens here is abouviding assistance to women who do not live in the state of minnesota because sadly state exists in a neighborhood where laws have been passed to deny people's repeat active health care. the majority of women to receive an abortion -- god help her, that she has[z got affordable childcare. god help her. she has got paid family leave, so she can figure out, how is she going to get to the place that would provider the care she

needs? the work that happens in a clinic like this includes asking those questions for someone who might be in great distress, letting her know what is available for her in terms of transportation and housing hotel, or assistance for her childcare needs. in this environment, these attacks against individuals right to make decisions about their own body are outrageous and in many instances, just plain old immoral. how dar these elected leaders believe they are in a better position to tell wo tell women n their best interests. we have to be a nation that trusts[applause] vice pres. harris: this

extraordinary health care provider and dtor, please. >> thank you, thank you so much. i'm not used to doing this. good afternoon, everyone. i'm sarah, the chief medical officer here at planned parenthood north-central states. i'm a board certified obstetrician gynecologist with a subspecialty in complex family and i also have my mastf science and i'm a proud abortion provider and i'm honored that it is an historic moment.s and one that demonstrates how critically important access to families across the country. so, thank you so much for being here today. thank you. ■after the dobbs decision a year

and half ago, minnesota has become a bastion of access for abortion care, t rights are not only a minnesota issue. it is a national issue. our planned parenthood has seen a 25% increase in abortions here since roe was overturned. we've seen nearly 100% increase in patients coming here from outside of our state. this is not by accident. surrounding states have been limiting and banning abortion while minnesota, with the help of our governor, has been increasing access. since roe was overturned, i've cared for patients fro ever, from nearby states like south dakota and north dakota, and wisconsin, but from far away statesike tes, alabama, wyoming, florida, oklahoma, missouri, and the list goes on. i've seen patients who have flown om like louise and only to have me tell her that her complex pregnancy condition would keep her from having her abortion here with

me. forcing her to continue a pregnancy with a possible - where care is not available to her and her home state. traveling to access essential health care can be intimidating and overwhelming. it is not an easy thing to do, as as we have all pretended that it is. like the expense of our patient who traveled from a small town a nd became lost in downtown minneapolis with a dead cet he t driver, and she described that driver as a savior for her. ur patient who drove hundreds and hundreds of miles through blizzard conditions just to get her abortion new abortios difficult. it is dangerous. and it is putting my patients and health care providers at severe risk. i've talked to mike collins, practicing in states where

abortion is now illegal and they are struggling with decisions about providing ethical, proper medical care and conflict in with the law. this shoulthankfully abortion pg abortion care has gotten less complicated in minnesota. i'm trusted as provider an expert to work with my patients to provide the best care possible. to know that i'm trusted to do my job is abut it should be thed for everywhere. private medical decisions should be made between patients and and theirrl doctors. without interference from politicians or the protesters standing outside on the street in frontoui didn't always feel . i came to understand -- bodily autonomy after a long history of being anti-abortion and having a very distorted point of view about abortion care.

it was not until a friend told me her abortion story that i came to see the light. after hearing her, knowing thaan was the right choice for her, for her life, for her future and nobody else' dawned on me. if she is making the right decision for her life, then who are making the rightr decision in their lives, and no one should be interfering in that. from that point on, my awakening into understanding bodily autonomy and freedom grew to the point that i am tayeveryone shot to access health care. your zip code should not dictate the care that you can access, your race, your socioeconomic

status, none of that should determine it. so for 2024 and beyond, we will keep fighting and keep working until we live in a world where everyone can access the care they decide is best for their futures and bodies and in their own community. thank you. [applause] ■0■r>> we have a couple questio. >> hi. [inaudible]do you think a sitting president or vice president to visit a clinic -- vice pres. harris: because this is a health care crisis and of the many stories, excusing -- -- excuse me.

of the many stories that we need t has happened after the dobbs decision as that -- the clinics like this that have had to shut down. and what that has meant to lee no options with any reasonable geographic area for so many women who need this essential care. it runs the gamut of reproductive health care. yes, it is abortion, it is also as ió>■ mentioned earlier, centl and critical health care like paps, like breast cancer screenings, things of that nature. i'm here to higthe many, i belid consequences of the dobbs decision, one of them has been for health care provider such as this in the states that have banned or outlawed accessory particular care, the clinics had to shut down and it is a travesty. it is a travesty. >> our next question.

to your >> hi, thank you. [inaudible] can you give us a sense of what you have lost -- today? vice pres. harris: i don't know, maybe two dozen health care workers, who really care, really care about their patients. and who understand health care delivery system, regardless of your gender or your health care needs, we sho d ld a respect that you will be treated with dignity. usually treated in an environment -- you were you feel safe. and by that, i mean safe to be free from judgment. to be in an environment where you are listened to. where your needs and your

expression of your needs are taken seriously. and walking through this clinic, that is what i saw. are people who have dedicated their lives to the profession of providing health care in a safe place that gives people dignity. i think we should all want that for each other. you. >> the new york times. >> what do you see is your role run up to the limits of what he can do to protect abortion rights and congress is unlikely to pass --- vice pres. harris: well, congress will pass that bill or we will take back the house. i am sure of that. think that the point, one of the points that must be made on this issue, as we attempt to uplift the real stories in the real consequences of t d people- elections matter. elections matter. what happened here in minnesota

with the reelection of the governor and the turning of the state legislature is what has led to ensuring that these fundamental live are protective predilections matter. let me be clear about this. when it comes to national elections and4 -- there is a fundamental issue that i think most people agree with. which is that one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling women what to do with their bodies. if chooses, she will consult with her priest, her pastor, or rabbi or■g but it is not for the government to tell her what she can and cannot do with her own body. my role is to do what i just did, to articulate these points.

and to organize folks around what i know isó an issue that is impacting more people than you will ever really know. who as i said earlier are silently suffering. , i do. i take on the responsibly of uplifting the stories and reminding people, by the the vast majity of american did have empathy and even if they don't agree that this would be the best decision f them, would agree that other people should not be suffering the way they are. ■(>> roe was always an imperfect atute.what do you think should e it? vice pres. harris: what we want is to put back in place the

protections the supreme court took away, which is to codify, put into law, the protections of roe v. wade. that's what we want. thank you. >> earlier today, healthnd human services secretary on vera becerra testified onhe president's 2020 five budget request for his department. watch thsenate fince committee hearing tonight at 9:00 eastern on c-span, c-span now, our free mobile video app, or online at c-span.org. american history tv, exploring the pele and events th tl at 7:00 p.m. eastern, we continue with the series free to choose coproduced by milton . this episode is titled how to stay free. then it :00 p.m., law professor

mary ziegler looks at the history of abortion and states.eption at 9:30 p.m., little-known sides of our chief executives through presidential love letters with book, unprepared for the storm of lovemaking. letters of love and loss from the white house. saturday on c-span2, a find the fu sedule on your program guide or watch any time at c-span.org/history. >> celebrating the 20th anniversary of our annual studentcam documentary competition. this year c-span asked middle and high school students across the country to look forward while considering the past. highlighting the milestone of the anniversary, each

participant was given the opti e or 20 years into the past. in response, we received inspiring and thought-provoking ies from more than 3200 students across 42 states, through conducting in-depth research and interviews with experts, students tackled critical topics such as technology and social media. >> eliminating entire fields of work. >> challenges in climate. scjustice. >> race, bias, and the american criminal justice system. >> we are excited to share the top winners of studentcam 2024. documentary beyond just sci-fi, ai reshaping to americas tomorrow, delves into the

evolvingf artificial intelligence. the high school eastern division's first prize is awarded to a student from silver spring, film, the promise of langley park, climate change, reimagining the future of america's suburbs. michigan, the first prize in their high school central division with their production, unseen heroes, the caregivers of america. in high school western division, in california, earned first prize for threads of change, which takes a critical look at the fast fashion industry and the top award of $5,000 for grand prize goes to tend graders from connecticut, their compelling documentary, innocence held hostage, deals with the timely and sensitive

subjec features interviews with a former iranian hostage. >> instead of saying you are free to leave, i was hrown on the back of a car and taken straight to prison. >> it brings me great joy, you guys are the grand prize winners in studentcam 2024. >> thank you so much. this is a huge honor. we are so grateful for this opportunity. we really thank you a lot. >>ex our attitude to the educators, parents, and all who supported these young filmmakers on their creative journey. ngratulations to all of our winners. the top winningentaries will be broadcast on c-span starting april 1. you can catch each of the films online anytime at studentcam.org. join us in celebrating