Sen. Kamala Harris tours SoCal sites she says are threatened by Trump
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is on a three-day tour of sites in the Los Angeles area that she says are threatened by President Donald Trump's budget and the Republican health care bill.
Harris met leaders at the Port of Los Angeles Wednesday, where officials said 40 percent of the nation's cargo comes through the port, and they need more federal funds for infrastructure improvements.
"It's not even bipartisan, it's nonpartisan. The thing needs to be built. It needs to be maintained. We need to move it," Harris said.
Port officials estimate that one out of five jobs in Southern California are tied to the port.
"I hope the President will see the light of day in terms of not cutting infrastructure dollars for California or any other state," Harris said.
Harris visited Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center Thursday, where she spoke with patients and doctors dealing with opiate addiction.
Many of the patients, Harris said, are covered by Medicaid, a program that is imperiled under the Republican health care bill.
At Children's Hospital Los Angeles on Wednesday, fellow Democrat Rep. Tony Cardenas warned against potential cuts to children's health insurance in President Donald Trump's budget proposal.
"If Congress cuts a trillion dollars out of Medicaid we will not have to go to a foreign country to see a mother with a dying child in her arms. We would have to go down the street," Cardenas said.
Evelyn Morales, a local mother, is concerned about her daughter Connie's care.
"I wouldn't want to be in the position of another parent having to decide do I keep my child or do I let them go," Morales said.
Sen. Harris was also worried about reports that Trump would pull out of the Paris accords on climate change. On Thursday, he did.
"What's your reaction to that? We cannot pull out of those accords," Harris said. I think it's highly irresponsible of this administration to suggest it would be in our best interest."
"All people need clean air to breathe. All people need to be able to drink clean water," Harris said.
Harris will move on to Naval Base Coronado Friday where she will meet with Navy SEALs and receive a briefing on the Third Fleet and U.S. operations in the pacific.
