VP Harris visits Chicago to highlight Biden administration's progress, ongoing efforts

CHICAGO - Vice President Kamala Harris is becoming somewhat of a fixture in Chicago this summer.

Now on her second visit in as many weeks — and another scheduled for next month — and with the Latino vote expected to loom large in the 2024 election, Monday's opportunity for the VP to deliver the keynote address at the "Unidos Conference" at McCormick Place was too good to pass up.

She opened her remarks on a familiar refrain; a woman’s reproductive rights. The nearly 1,500 n attendance offered Harris their support in a raucous endorsement before she segued to other political hot button issues.

"In this moment, we see our friends and neighbors being targeted because of who they are and who they love, and we witnessed the United States Supreme Court strike down affirmative action (and) give businesses the right to discriminate and deny student debt relief to millions of Americas."

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In just over 12 months, Chicago will host the Democratic National Convention for the first time in more than a quarter-century, so it’s no surprise that Harris agreed to return for the second time this month to deliver a speech that is likely to have a familiar ring come next summer.

Harris closed out her address urging those in attendance.

"Stand together in the fight to institute national paid family and medical leave, to pass pay equity, affordable child care, to stand in the fight to renew the assault weapons ban, to restore the protections of Roe V. Wade, to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act and finally pass immigration reform."

The event also saw the presence of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.