Vice President Kamala Harris visits Seattle, promotes 'Bidenomics'

Updated on Aug. 15 at 2:07 p.m.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Seattle on Tuesday, delivering a public address surrounding the Biden administration’s efforts to combat climate change and commemorating the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022.

Harris underscored the urgency of the climate crisis.

“Every day around the world, the impact of the climate crisis is stark and it is vivid – we are seeing it in real time,” Harris said. “Of course in Washington state you have endured deadly heat waves and devastating wildfires. And across our nation, we see communities choked by drought washed out by flood and decimated by hurricanes, and of course we are all praying for the people of Maui.”

“It is clear, the clock is not just ticking — it is banging,” she added.

Harris also emphasized the Biden administration’s investments in clean energy, pointing to the expansion of solar and wind energy production, as well as the rise of electric personal vehicles and school buses on the nation’s roads.

“It is with these investments that we are clear we are creating millions of good-paying, clean energy jobs,” Harris said. “We are rebuilding America's manufacturing and we are driving American innovation, something this state knows so well. In total, President Biden and I have committed nearly $1 trillion to build a thriving clean energy economy for America.”

The vice president’s address also offered clues about Biden’s campaign platform for the 2024 election as he seeks a second term.

During the course of his presidency, Biden has faced tough criticism for the state of inflation, which has squeezed many to their financial limits as the pandemic tails off. Harris, as part of an ongoing effort by the administration to regain favor with voters troubled by the economy, attributed falling inflation and unemployment rates to her administration’s policy, pointing out the creation of more than 13 million jobs since Biden took office – 400,000 of those being in Washington state, she said.

“Together we are building a clean-energy economy, and through all of our work, President Biden and I are building an economy that works for working people, and that, my friends, is called 'Bidenomics,'" Harris said. "And Bidenomoics is working."

Vice President Harris is also expected to speak at a local campaign event, and then fly out after 3 p.m.

If you're traveling into or out of Seattle today, it's probably a good idea to take a bus or the light rail — anything other than getting on I-5 or other major roadways. When high-profile leaders have visited Seattle in the past, they land at King County International Airport (Boeing Field) and entire sections of the freeway have been shut down to allow for them to travel.

Harris previously stopped in Seattle while campaigning in 2019, and has visited the city once since being elected. In October 2022, she was in town to hype new electric school buses that were rolling out.

This story has been updated to include Harris' comments during her Seattle address on Aug. 15.