Harris Cites Planned Parenthood, NAACP in Opposition to Barrett

In an effort to show her opposition towards the nominee, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) cited letters from Planned Parenthood and the NAACP during Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday.

Harris’s remarks came during a conversation on abortion and Barrett’s personal view of the procedure. Harris stated:

The constitution of the United States protects a woman’s right to choose whether or when to become a parent and it protects a woman’s right to choose abortion. Women of color, immigrant women, women with low incomes, women in rural areas face significant barriers when it comes to attempting to access birth control, cancer screenings, and comprehensive reproductive healthcare.

Harris then targeted Barrett directly, highlighting what she believes to be differences between Barrett and the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

“Justice Ginsburg did not tell the committee how she would vote in any particular case. But she did freely discuss how she viewed a woman’s right to choose. But Judge Barrett clearly shows you hold a different view,” Harris continued, adding:

If the Senate considers filling the seat of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was straightforward enough in her confirmation hearing to say that the right to choose is ‘essential to women’s equality,’ I would suggest that we not pretend that we don’t know how this nominee views a woman’s right to choose to make her own health care decision.

Harris then entered for the record letters from Planned Parenthood, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and NAACP, all of which oppose Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

“Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the following three documents be entered into the record,” Harris said. “A letter opposing Judge Barrett’s nomination from the NAACP, a statement opposing Judge Barrett’s nomination from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and a report opposing Judge Barrett’s nomination from the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.”