On this last day and Friday of the month of April, here's Madam Vice President's schedule for the day:
1) On Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris was in Cincinnati, Ohio to talk about transportation, the infrastructure package and the American Rescue Plan. She flew into the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport from Joint Base Andrews.
 |
| Photo credits: Peter Velz 46/Twitter |
2) Then she departed for the University of Cincinnati's 1819 Innovation Hub for a roundtable discussion on new investments in infrastructure and public transit. She co-hosted the discussion with Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
 |
| Screenshot: The White House/Youtube |
Joining them were various community leaders and several local transit leaders and experts, including:
- Darryl Haley, SORTA CEO
- Eddie Koen, President and CEO, Urban League
- Vikas Mehta, Professor, Fruth/Gemini Chair, Ohio Eminent Scholar and Urban Design Certificate Coordinator at the University of Cincinnati
- Jill Meyer, President and CEO of Cincinnati Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Troy Miller, President/Business Agent, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 627
“Good transit equals vibrant communities,” Vice President Harris told them as she praised the city for its commitment to public transit while also speaking on the administration’s proposed $2 trillion infrastructure plan, called the American Jobs Act. She later added, “There is so much good work happening here and happening around our country. … Let’s continue to invest in public transit in America.”
She then noted that a bus stop near someone’s home can provide them with access to basic amenities like grocery stores and schools, in addition to jobs that are miles away from where they live. She observed that many of America’s working people can’t afford to live where they work and said those who must travel some distance to their jobs shouldn’t have to own and maintain cars. People who use public transit instead of driving also help the climate by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
3) After the meeting, she stopped at blaCk Coffee Lounge on her way where she ordered a “Wakanda” coffee with whole milk. The Wakanda is a reference to the fictional African country at the heart of the Marvel movie Black Panther. The coffee is a blend of three different coffees.
Madam Vice President met with Downtown Cincinnati shop owners Means Cameron and Marcus Ervin where they spoke about how the shop opened and how it has been faring during the COVID-19 pandemic
She visited with Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley and his wife, Dena.
4) On returning to the White House, she sat down with Eldraen on a virtual call to discuss paid leave and parental leave. Eldraen is a USPS letter carrier, a National Guardsman, and a father of one.
Due to the pandemic, his wife and he had to make a discussion on who will take care of their daughter who's day care was close due to COVID reason. Because his wife works as a nurse, they both decided for Eldraen to use his paid leave offered by his employer and stay home with their daughter.
Eldraen is now advocating for paid leave as well as parental leave. Madam Vice President who is advocating for accessible and affordable paid leave and child care as well as the Administration's commitment in doing so together with the Rescue and Job plan
