Kamala Harris' record as VP: What Nebraska voters should know

Vice President Kamala Harris and her meteoric rise to become President Joe Biden ’s replacement as the Democratic presidential candidate is one of the most significant shifts in presidential politics in recent history.

As the 2024 presidential election fast approaches, Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump are doubling down their campaigning in the more than half-dozen swing states , Nebraska included, that will decide who will take over the White House.

With less than eight weeks until the general election, Republicans and Democrats are fighting tooth and nail for Nebraska’s one electoral vote in Omaha's 2nd Congressional District, which could break a tie and get either candidate to 270 electoral votes, the number needed to win the presidency.

The Cornhusker State's unique way of awarding electoral votes means all eyes are on one district in particular, where recent polling shows Harris ahead of Trump by about 8 points, putting the otherwise red state into play for the Democrats’ race to 270.

More: All eyes are on Nebraska's 'blue dot,' which could determine who wins the White House

As Harris steps up its campaigning in the state, we examine some of her most significant accomplishments and policy initiatives during her time as vice president.

Immigration

In response to immigration concerns, Harris’ call to action was the public-private partnership Central America Forward (CAF). The idea behind CAF is to support the creation of local jobs and other measures in order to slow the flow of mass migration.

CAF has generated more than $5.2 billion since its launch in 2021, and its partners include more than 50 companies and organizations that have committed to supporting economic growth in the Central America region. The entities represent the financial services, textiles, apparel, agriculture, technology, telecommunications, nonprofit sectors, and others, according to the White House.

Voting rights

Harris was at the forefront of the administration’s pursuit to enshrine voting rights protection throughout the U.S. according to White House transcripts . She pushed for Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act , which would’ve extended the protections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and required federal approval for some local election law changes.

In 2021, the bill did not receive the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster, preventing the start of debate on the Senate floor where Harris would have cast the deciding vote in the evenly split chamber.

Abortion

Since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in June 2022, Harris has been a leading voice advocating for reproductive rights on behalf of the Biden administration, often slamming Republican-led laws restricting abortion.

Harris visited a Planned Parenthood clinic on March 14, a historic first for any president or vice president while in office, according to previous reporting by USA TODAY.

Walking through the clinic in Minnesota, the vice president spoke with staff members and health care providers as part of her nationwide “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour earlier this year.

Gun violence

In September 2023, Biden established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to reduce gun violence, overseen by Vice President Harris, as announced by the White House.

The Office of Gun Violence Prevention builds upon actions taken by the Biden-Harris administration to end gun violence, which include the signing of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Heralded by the White House as the most impactful gun violence prevention measure in almost three decades, the now law bars individuals under the age of 21 from buying firearms, grants the Justice Department additional powers to prosecute gun traffickers, provides mental health services in schools to assist youth affected by gun violence trauma and grief and funds community-based violence intervention programs.

Maternal health

In her previous role as U.S. Senator for California, Harris introduced the Maternal CARE Act and the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act , which would direct multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations and maternal health issues related to COVID-19.

The vice president’s prior work on maternal and infant health care was a key component of the Build Back Better Act , passed in 2022. The legislation expands access to maternal care and makes new investments to drive down mortality and morbidity rates.

Broadband expansion

In 2023, Harris and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo traveled to Kenosha, Wisconsin to celebrate the announcement of new electronics equipment production made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s “ Investing in America ” agenda and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requires the use of American-made materials and products for federally funded infrastructure projects, with the goal of bringing hundreds of new jobs to the U.S. The law also notably includes a historic $65 billion investment to expand affordable and reliable high-speed Internet access in communities across the U.S.

“Our investments in broadband infrastructure are creating jobs in Wisconsin and across the nation and increasing access to reliable, high-speed internet so everyone in America has the tools they need to thrive in the 21st century,” said Harris.

Reuters and USA TODAY reporter Maya Marchel Hoff contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Kamala Harris' record as VP: What Nebraska voters should know