Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event| North Hampton, NH
Throwback Brewery
North Hampton, New Hampshire
3:05 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hi, everyone. Hi. (Applause.)
Good afternoon, North Hampton! (Laughs.) (Applause.) Oh, my goodness.
Can we hear it for Nicole and Throwback Brewery? (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Kamala! Kamala! Kamala!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) Hi, guy- — thank you. Thank you, thank you. Wow. (Applause.) Thank you, all. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
It’s so good to be back in New Hampshire. Thank you all. (Applause.) Thank you.
And Doug sends his love to everyone as well. (Laughs.) (Applause.)
Oh, thank you, everyone. Nicole, thank you. You guys are just so extraordinary, and I applaud the way you do the business that you do and the love that you do in giving community. I love our small-business owners. It is what you do — I’m going to talk a bit about you in a minute, but you are part of the fabric — the essential fabric of a community that cares about one another.
Thank you for everything. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you.
And thank you to the outstanding congressional delegation: Senators Shaheen, Hassan — (applause); Representatives Pappas and Kuster — (applause); and all the leaders who are here today. Thank you all. Thank you all for — for taking the time to be here this afternoon. Thank you, everyone. (Applause.) Thank you.
So, before I begin, I do want to say a few words about this tragic shooting that took place this morning in Winder, Georgia. We’re still gathering information about what happened, but we know that there were multiple fatalities and injuries. And, you know, our hearts are with all the students, the teachers, and their families, of course, and we are grateful to the first responders and the law enforcement that were on the scene.
But this is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies. And it’s just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. It’s senseless. It — it is — we’ve got to stop it. (Applause.)
And we have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all. You know, it doesn’t have to be this way. It doesn’t have to be this way.
So, we will continue, of course, to — to send our prayers and our thoughts to the families and all those who were affected, including, you know — I — I’m going off script right now, but, listen. I mean, you know, at — at the — last year, at — I — I started a college tour, and I — I traveled our country, meeting with our young leaders, right? And so, it was college-aged young leaders. So, I did trade schools, colleges, universities, community colleges.
By the way, I love Gen Z. I just love Gen Z. (Laughter.) (Applause.) Right?
But I’ll tell you one of the things — one of the things that I asked every time I went to the auditorium — and it would be filled with these young leaders, students — and I’d ask them, “Raise your hand if at any point between kindergarten and 12th grade you had to endure an active shooter drill.” And the — for the — for the young leaders who are here who are raising their hand, I’m telling you, every time, the auditorium was packed, and almost every hand went up.
You know, a lot of us — I’ll tal- — I’ll speak about myself. You know, we had — well, I grew up in California — earthquake drills; we had fire drills. But our kids are sitting in a classroom where they should be fulfilling their God-given potential, and some part of their big, beautiful brain is concerned about a shooter busting through the door of the classroom.
It does not have to be this way. (Applause.) It does not have to be this way. And, you know, this is one of the many issues that’s at stake in this election.
So, New Hampshire, look, we have 62 days to go — (applause) — 62 days to go. And I’m going to tell you what you already know: This race is going to be tight until the very end.
So, please, let’s not pay too much attention to the polls, because we are running as the underdog. We know what they’re capable of on the other side. The only thing we can take for granted is the love that we as Americans have for each other, knowing we have so much more in common than what separates us. (Applause.)
And we’ve got some hard work ahead, but we like hard work. Hard work is good work. (Applause.) Hard work can be joyful work. And so, we are up for the task. And with your help, we will win in November. (Applause.) We will win in November.
And that, in large part, is because we know what we stand for, and when you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. (Applause.)
We love our country, and we believe in the promise of America. That’s so much of what I think brings us all together this afternoon. We believe in the promise of America, and that includes a topic we’re going to discuss today, which is what I call an “opportunity economy” — building an opportunity economy. (Applause.)
And my vision of an opportunity economy is one where everyone can compete and have a real chance to succeed; where everyone, regardless of who they are or where they start, can build wealth, including intergenerational wealth; where workers are treated with dignity, and everyone has the freedom to join a union if they choose — (applause); where we remove barriers to opportunity, so anyone who wants to start a business can have access to the tools and the resources they need to do that.
I believe — and I said it before to Nicole — I believe America’s small businesses are an essential foundation to our entire economy. Think about it. (Applause.) Think about it. Small businesses in our country employ half of all private-sector workers. Half of all private-sector workers own or run a small business or work for a small business. They do trillions of dollars of business every year. They generate revenue that helps repair our roads and pay our teachers.
And, you know — (applause) — for all of those who are or know of small-business owners, the thing I love about you is that you’re not only leaders in business, you are civic leaders, you are community leaders, you are mentors, you hire locally, you believe in the community, and you’re part of the glue of the fabric that holds communities together.
You provide the local meeting space. You are the types of folks where you know who your regulars are, and when someone is walking in the door and you can tell they’ve had a bad day, you know exactly what they need. Isn’t that the best of who we are? (Applause.) Isn’t that the best of who we are?
And I’ve met so many entrepreneurs across the country who take the incredible leap of faith that is required to start a small business — folks who put their life’s savings on the line and work through the weekends and holidays because they aren’t just building a business, they’re pursuing a dream. They’re building a better future for their employees and for the people they love and their communities. And by extension, they’re building a stronger middle class and a stronger America for us all. (Applause.)
And so, all of this is why, as president, one of my highest priorities will be to strengthen America’s small businesses. (Applause.) And here I am in New Hampshire to announce a few elements of my plan to do that. (Applause.)
So, first, we’re going to help more small businesses and innovators get off the ground. Okay? (Applause.) Now I’m setting what some, I’m sure, are going to call a very ambitious goal. But you know what? I think we should admire ambition in each other. (Laughs.) (Applause.)
So, I want to see 25 million new small-business applications by the end of my first term. (Applause.) And to help achieve this, we will lower the cost of starting a new business.
So, here’s the thing, on average, it costs about $40,000 to start a new business in America. That is a great financial barrier for a lot of folks, and it can hold entrepreneurs back. And the current tax deduction for a start-up is just $5,000. Okay? So, then you got to make up the delta there; you got to figure out how you’re going to do that. Not everyone has access to that kind of wealth and capital.
So, part of my plan is we will expand the tax deduction for start-ups to $50,000. (Applause.) It’s essentially a tax cut for starting a small business.
Second, my plan will help existing small businesses grow. We will provide low- and no-interest loans to small businesses that want to expand, and we will — and this is very important — cut the red tape that can make starting and growing a small business more difficult than it needs to be — more difficult than it needs to be. (Applause.)
For example, we will make it cheaper and easier for small businesses to file their taxes, similar — (applause) — similar to how individuals can take a standard deduction. You know, I said to my team, kind of like — now, I’m going to date myself again, because they no longer do it — but kind of like — you remember the 1040EZ? Like, that kind of idea, right? Like, let’s just take away some of the bureaucracy in the process to make it easier for people to actually do something that’s going to benefit our entire economy.
Third — (applause) — third, my plan will invest in small businesses and innovators throughout America, and here’s why. We know that talent exists everywhere in our country, from rural towns to city centers. But not everyone has access to the financing, to venture capital, or expert advice. It’s not that they don’t have the skills, it’s not that they don’t have the work ethic; it’s access to these resources.
So, under my plan, we will expand access to venture capital. We will support innovation hubs and business incubators. (Applause.) And we will increase federal contracts with small businesses. (Applause.) And we will have a particular focus on small businesses in rural communities, like right here in New Hampshire. (Applause.)
Finally, my plan will make our tax code more fair, while also prioritizing investment and innovation.
So, let us be clear: Billionaires and big corporations must pay their fair share in taxes. (Applause.) Because here is the thing — here is the thing. It’s just not right that those who can most afford it are often paying a lower tax rate than our teachers and our nurses and our firefighters. (Applause.) It’s just not right. It’s just not right.
So, that’s why I support a billionaire minimum tax and corporations paying their fair share. (Applause.) And while we ensure that the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share, we will tax capital gains at a rate that rewards investment in America’s innovators, founders, and small businesses. (Applause.)
So, here’s the detail. If you earn a million dollars a year or more, the tax rate on your long-term capital gains will be 28 percent under my plan, because we know when the government encourages investment, it leads to broad-based economic growth and it creates jobs, which makes our economy stronger. (Applause.)
Now compare that to what Donald Trump plans.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: He intends to cut off federal programs that give loans to small businesses.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: He plans to give billionaires massive tax cuts and to cut corporate taxes by over a trillion dollars, even as they pull in record profits.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: His plans will add more than $5 trillion to the national debt, and that is on top of the $2 trillion tax cut he gave them when he was president and when he exploded the deficit.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: We know how to count. (Laughter.) We know how to count.
And now he also wants to impose what, in effect, is a national sales tax on everyday products and basic necessities, which will skyrocket the cost for families and small businesses.
And, New Hampshire, on top of all of this, if Donald Trump were to win in November, he intends to end the Affordable Care Act —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — which would significantly increase costs on small businesses, as we know —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Lock him up!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — and — well, you know what? The courts are going to handle that, and we will handle November. How about that? (Applause.) How about that? (Laughs.)
That’s how we’ll handle that. How about that? (Applause.)
But think about it. He wants to end the Affordable Care Act, taking us back to a time when insurance companies could deny people with preexisting conditions. You remember what that was? Children with asthma, breast cancer survivors, grandparents with diabetes.
So, yeah, look, we are here to tell him and them: We are not going back. (Applause.) We’re not going back.
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: We’re not going back. We’re not going back.
AUDIENCE: We’re not going back! We’re not going back! We’re not going back!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: No, we are not, and we will move forward, because ours is a fight for the future. (Applause.) And — and it is a fight for freedom. (Applause.) And it is a fight for freedom.
Now, I don’t have to tell the folks of New Hampshire, the “Live Free or Die” state. (Applause.) You know the importance of individual freedoms, fundamental freedoms. You know how hard people fought for these freedoms and that they are foundational to who we are and what we stand for as America, including the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government telling her what to do. (Applause.)
And understand how we got here. Understand how we got here. And, of course, we’re not going to fall for the gaslighting he’s pushing, right?
AUDIENCE: No!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: When he was president, Donald Trump handpicked three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And as he intended, they did. And now, in more than 20 states in our nation, there is a Trump abortion ban, many with no exceptions even for rape and incest, which is immoral — immoral.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And let us agree, and I know we do: One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do with her body. (Applause.)
And if he wins — and if he wins, you can be sure Donald Trump will go further, and he will sign a national abortion ban. And — and you know Project 2025, which I just —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: I mean, can you believe they put that thing in writing? (Laughter.)
And under Project 2025, he would create a national antiabortion coordinator, which would force states — I mean, this is unbelievable, right? — which would force states to report on women’s miscarriages and abortions.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: You know what they are making really quite clear? They just don’t trust women. They just don’t trust women.
But we trust women. (Applause.) We trust women.
And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law. (Applause.)
Across our nation —
AUDIENCE: Kamala! Kamala! Kamala!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) (Inaudible.)
Across our nation — across our nation — and I’ve been traveling for many, many mo- — well, years, actually, and certainly months, most recently. Across our nation, I’m telling you, we are witnessing a full-on attack on hard-fought, hard-won fundamental freedoms and rights, including the freedom to vote, the freedom to be safe from gun violence —
AUDIENCE: Yes!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water —
AUDIENCE: Yes!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. (Applause.)
And so, here’s what I don’t have to tell the folks of New Hampshire, because you know it so well, it’s part of your DNA. Generations of Americans before us, they fought for freedom and they led the fight for freedom in our country. And now the baton is in our hands. The baton is in our hands.
So, let us understand, which we do, our purpose at this very moment. Let us remember the broad shoulders upon which we stand and the traditions of this very fight that have led to what we have been able to accomplish.
And let us understand, then, that when we say “fight,” it is a fight for something, not against something. It is for something. (Applause.) That’s what we’re talking about when we talk about a new way forward. This is for something.
And so, as an example, let us finally pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. (Applause.) Let us finally pass an assault weapons ban and universal background checks and red flag laws — (applause) — because we are clear, on that point, it is a false choice to say you’re either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away. I’m in favor of the Second Amendment, and I know we need reasonable gun safety laws in our country. (Applause.)
And there’s another point that I’d like to stress about this election in ‘24. This is not 2016 or 2020. The stakes are even higher this time for a number of reasons, but I’m going to mention one, in particular: what the Supreme Court recently did when they basically just told the former president that, going forward, he will effectively be immune, no matter what he does in the White House.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: But let’s take this seriously and understand what it means. Before, at least, there might have been the threat that there would be consequence and accountability. With that ruling, what this means is that almost explicitly, he has been told no consequence.
And imagine — just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. Just imagine with no guardrails.
He has openly vowed to be a dictator on day one. He has said he would end the independence of the Department of Justice — the United States Department of Justice —
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — so he could have the unchecked power to seek vengeance against people who disagree with him.
He even called for — I’m going to quote now — the “termination” of the Constitution of the United States of America.
AUDIENCE: Booo —
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Let us be very clear: Someone who suggests we should terminate the Constitution of the United States of America should never again stand behind the seal of the president of the United States. (Applause.) Never again.
So, I’ll end where I started. When it comes down to it, we are all here together because we love our country. We love our country, and we know the privilege — the privilege and pride that comes with being an American.
And I do believe it is one of the highest forms of patriotism to fight for the ideals of our country. That is how we realize the promise of America. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: That’s right.
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: And so, with that being said, I ask: New Hampshire, are you ready to have your voices heard? (Applause.)
Do we believe in freedom? (Applause.)
Do we believe in opportunity? (Applause.)
Do we believe in the promise of America? (Applause.)
And are we ready to fight for it? (Applause.)
And when we fight —
AUDIENCE: We win!
THE VICE PRESIDENT: — we win!
God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. God bless you. (Applause.)
END 3:33 P.M. EDT
