and make sure elections are secure, we need to make sure everyone who is a citizen is able to vote without having onerous penalties and fines that they can never get out of >> voices from the road on c-span. -- get out of. >> democratic presidential candidate senator kamala harris spoke in iowa about public education in teacher pay. this was about an hour. [applause] >> hello muscatine county. we have visitors from kentucky, washington, dc and illinois in the house. and texas. and we have missouri. my name is shannon mcdonald and

i live in west liberty and i'm so proud to be on stage in support of kamala harris and i am very happy to be caucusing for her this year the iowa caucuses. i believe we all have a responsibility to place someone in the white house who represents both me, my daughter, and my community. it is time we give back respect, equity, and intelligence at the top. [applause] people justly,at not based on their race, religion orientation. stage,set on the debate justices on the ballot. there is so much at stake in this election and we must use our voices to elect someone who will do just that. she is my choice and i will share my voice for her now and at the caucuses and i hope you will too. iter donald trump was elected saw my community, my friends and my family felt like they no

longer had a voice. most of this was in part by the rhetoric that was happening and repealing forward thinking policies that were put in place to protect us in the first place. i feel like we needed a leader who was strong, smart and will stand up in the face of injustice and she will speak for all the people, she embodies taking a stand for what's right. she's a candidate will fight for me, fight for you and our community. she has shown us she will go against injustice, not afraid to stand up for the people, all the people. and that she can win any debate. committed and ready and willing to put in the hard work that will be necessary to reunite us as a nation and put us back on the top of that leaderboard. my entire family will be caucusing for her this election

and we hope you will join us in that. welcomereat midwestern and all the other states to a fearless fighter, senator from california and our future president of the united states,, harris. harris.la [applause] sen. harris: how are you doing. i feel like i should start telling jokes. [laughter] sen. harris: i'll just speak about the president instead. [laughter] thank you, shannon, that means so much to me. and you've been so helpful and you work so hard and can we

please here it for shannon. [applause] there's so much about this moment that is truly about a fight for democracy and when you do what you do, by being here this evening for thanksgiving week and the summoning of the things you can be doing, it should remind us that the strength of our democracy the matter who's trying to tear us apart has always been the people, it's always been the people and that power and we remember the power is truly in the people and when we do and what you do the kind of things we are doing, be out there and be active, it's a sign, it's a barometer that our democracy is healthy and alive. let's remember that and thank everyone for being part of it. i will share with you a few of

my thoughts and some of my plans and i will pass on the microphone. but truly i do believe we are in a fight. we are in a fight for our democracy. i think we are in a fight for our system of justice. i believe we are in a fight for our rule of law. and there's no question about that. we just all watch this week of hearings and adjusted a bunch of press interviews and i explained one of the takeaways that we should all leave with it the end of this week, a couple of things. one, that there are really great people working on behalf of the american people, career people in the department of state in the american intelligence committee, i'm the only person on the debate stage reserves in the senate intelligence

committee and there are great people who have dedicated their lives to the service of our nation and they were on display this week. his there'sake away clearly a criminal enterprise of foot. what became exposed and i talked to haulis is we need into congress in here from all the presidents men. [applause] sen. harris: because clearly it's not only about the president, but i have questions about the vice president and the secretary of state and the chief of staff. and then there is rudy who thinks -- i think rudy needs to remind he's a lawyer and has the right to remain silent. [laughter] so there is a fight in front of us. a fight for all these things we hold dear and all these things

that make us strong. we are prepared to fight with that. the question becomes how are we going to win? because it's also the nature of who we are as a people that we know how to fight and know how to win and we like to win. it's a win i believe, we must be focused on the future. of our country because what's at stake right now is so much bigger than donald trump. so we need to be focused on the , preenedd knowing that back yesterday is knocking to solve the problems of tomorrow. we are going to have to fight against the powerful forces that have gained some traction in their attempt to sow hate and division among us and we will have to fight against this. reminding people that within the beauty of this diversity of who we are as a nation, the vast

majority of us have so much more in common then what separates us and to win, we will need someone on that debate stage who can go toe to to against donald trump and i think you are looking at her. [applause] sen. harris: i've taken on jeff sessions, taken on bill barr, brett kavanaugh, i can take on donald trump and i'm looking forward to it. [applause] sen. harris: so we need to win. we need to do this in the name so this is a and fight for justice in the name of the people. and as many of you might know, i --rted my career arounder and i grew up

full-time marching and shouting for justice. when i came home from law school said what my sister you can it do in your fight for justice and i said i've decided i'm to be a prosecutor because i want to go inside of a system that is supposed to do the work of justice but has often done the work of injustice and be able to be on the other side where i can affect reform but i also want to be in a place where i can be a voice for the vulnerable. and so i started my career, the first day walking into a ,ourtroom saying five words kamala harris for the people. that phrase for the people believe iswo ways i the system of our justice. one, in our system of justice we have rightly said a harm against anyone of us is a harm against

sayof us and in that way we and therefore no one should be made to fight alone. for the people, it means all the people regardless of race or gender, regardless of the party with which they are registered to vote. regardless of where they live geographically, regardless of the language your grandmother speaks. it's about all the people and so i started this career in a courtroom on specializing for years on trying to get -- help women and children, knowing they deserve a voice that gave them strength and dignity without judgment. for the people, i was elected district attorney and created initiatives that were about saying the war on drugs was a fantasy that led to america's shame of mass incarceration and

so i started programs that became national models around bringing jobs to people who'd been arrested for drugs. generalected attorney -- attorney general california and there i took on the five big banks the united states who engage in predatory lending behavior and activity the cost -- caused foreclosures rather countries where working families lost their homes and in that battle brought $20 billion back to the state are represented. on for the people, taking jeff sessions and bill barr and brett kavanaugh and those who need to be held to account and tell the truth to the american people in the interest of the american people and it is for the people that i stand here and prepare to defeat donald trump. [applause]

sen. harris: justice is on the ballot in 2020, justice is on the ballot. when there is a father at midnight tonight in places around our country who is sitting at the kitchen table after everyone has gone to sleep and he is trying to figure out how even though he is working two jobs, he can barely get through the end of the month and he knows he is paying higher taxes than the 400 richest families in america. economic justice is on the ballot. i'm running for president to say we are going to put in place the largest middle-class tax cut we've had in generations, which is her family that make less than $1000 year they will get a tax credit so they can take home at $500 a month. people say how are you to pay for that, that's really simple.

on day one we will repeal that tax bill. [applause] america on: when in any given day there is a mom whose child has a fever that is out of control so she goes to the hospital and she is looking at the sliding glass doors of the emergency room but doesn't want to walk in because even though she has insurance, she knows if she knows if you walk through those doors she will be out of pocket. health care justice is on the ballot. i'm running for president to say we need medicare for all, not some, but all. i will tell you my plan is a bit different for my friends on the debate stage. yes i'm going to bring down costs, i will get rid of co-pays and deductibles but i'm not going to raise middle-class taxes and i won't take away your choice. i've heard from too many people

that i want to know everyone is can be covered, i like what you are doing, extending benefits to include vision and hearing and dental. they are just so expensive. thousands of dollars out of pocket. pointng all that but the between my plan a couple of folks on the stage and i'm not trying to get to the private insurance companies, they need to be brought to bear on anything co-pays and deductibles and they need to compete in our system but i won't take away your choice. because health care justice is on the ballot. when in america we are looking at the fact teachers, teachers here in iowa and around our country are working two or three jobs to try and get through the month when 94% of the teachers in our public schools are coming out of their own pocket to help pay for school supplies.

when teachers are asked to make 11% less than other educated professionals. education justice is on the ballot. [applause] i'm running to put in place what will be the first in our nations history federal investment and closing the teacher pay gap. which nationally is $13,500 a year. that's a years worth of mortgage payments or grocery bills or putting a significant dent in student loan debt. i'm here to say to betsy -- betsy devos by the way, teachers don't need a gun. [applause] i will tell you, with your help we are going to win and one of the most joyful of my first act as president of the united states --

[applause] justice is on the ballot. , i was raised in a community to believe that the children of the, i was raised in a community to believe that the children of the community are the children of the community. so when our babies elementary, middle entice students have been going to school to endure a they areing which taught how to hide in a closet in the event there is a mass shooter roaming the hallways of their schools, justice for our children. i'm running for president to say it's about time we have courage in leadership to take on the gun lobby and am going to give the united states congress 100 days what legislation on my desk and if they do not and this is a prioritization, i will take executive action a copperheads a

background check behind this. [applause] there have been policies that have resulted in babies being putting cages and parents separated from their children in the name of border security when in fact what it is is a human rights abuse being committed by the united states. justice for immigrants is on the ballot. [applause] let's remember, immigrants helped make america great and somebody needs to remind donald trump that some of his closest relatives. [applause]

sen. harris: justice is on the ballot in so many ways that go to the list. the need to reform a criminal justice system. what we must do in terms of focusing on the various social justice issues and the fundamental issues. reproductive justice, legislative and states around our country putting in place laws that would criminalize the position for assisting a woman with exercising the choice that she rightly has to make over her own body. reproductive justice is on the ballot. [applause] sen. harris: these are all fundamental issues that i believe are very much front and center and at stake in this election in 2020. and the bottom line is, and this is how i feel deeply, is when we

overcome these various injustices, i do believe it is at that moment that we will have the protection -- potential to unlock america's promise. ability tol have the unlock the potential of the american people. i that is the america ic -- see. when i'm running. and i'm literally running. that's what i'm running to. truly can see. goal and that's where we are. i will just make a final point, which is -- i've been in the campaign now over 10 months and in the course of the campaign and the election there is been a

conversation, the elephant in the room, but it's the donkey in the room, and it's a conversation about electability. let's have that conversation for a moment. so the conversation goes something like this. well, i don't know if america is woman of color to be president of the united states and then some people say well i'm ready but i don't know if the neighbors are ready. people say maybe it's not your turn, maybe it's not your time. , this isll you guys not a new conversation for me. it's a conversation i've heard in every campaign i've had and won. [applause] sen. harris: i share this with

you not to say anything about me but to say everything about who the american people are. we have the ability and iowans know this, because particularly you have always been a leader, in having the ability to see what's possible even when we haven't seen it before. having the ability to believe and have faith in what can be unburdened. story.tell you a quick i'm been a share one story i've got witches before running for iowa,ent, i spent time in particularly a week between christmas and new year's in 2007. and i was campaigning for a certain senator from the state course,ois and of

whatever was needed. night for both caucuses and they went to the headquarters to see if anything was needed to be done. i said there's a senior residential home in des moines, no one has been there yet. it's the corinthian guardians -- gardens senior home. can you go? and i said of course. i started knocking on doors and invariably some lady would ask and say -- answer and say come on in, are you hungry? [laughter] and then i knocked on this one door and the lady answered the door and she couldn't been more than five feet, she opened the door and she answered the door in this perfectly coiffed wig and perfect makeup, this elegant

outfit, i don't think she was expecting anybody. harris andi'm kamala i'm here in the caucus tomorrow and will you come out and join and she looked at me with a straight face and she spoke these words. they are not going to let him win. and then i saw what i was looking at. this lady in all of her 85 plus years and what she has experienced and witnessed in terms of indignity and injustice. life, sheage of her wasn't about to visit another disappointment on herself. so to myself i said i'm not leaving here and i stayed and i talked with her as she talked

more with me and opened the door a bit more. and guess who showed up at the caucus the next night and guess who won? so what we are requiring is for people to really believe and know what's possible. in candor we also have to admit this is not 2007 or 2008. factve got intervening which is that awful night in november of 2016, it's awful. and it lingers and there were so many who worked so hard. it was josh out of love and that weand belief

collect a first woman president and some the other reasons believed in the importance of that and the importance of her. griefen experienced the that many experienced that night. that is an intervening fact. i am clear about the fact there are people who worked really campaign who are saying today maybe america is not ready yet. i know that. i am really clear about what we are asking people to do. i am really clear about that. but here is the thing. there is nothing that our nation has achieved that has been about it social justice, civil rights, our fight for

equality, there is nothing we have ever achieved that has been about progress that came without a fight. nothing. we know how to fight. we like a good fight. we were born out of a fight, and it is the nature of who we are that we never sit back and wait for someone to give us permission to tell us what is possible. we make it happen because we know it is possible and so when others can't see it and in particular -- when others can see it, in particular iowa, you see it and you make it happen. spirit thatxact also talks about the america we can see, the america we can see and believe in where everyone

has health care, the america we believe in where we treat our children with the respect and the nurturing they deserve so they can go to school every day and feel safe. the america we believe in where we respect immigrants understanding that we are a nation of immigrants. by the way, unless you are native american or your and chester's were kidnapped and brought over on a slave ship, you people are immigrants. [applause] sen. harris: the america we believe in, this is our fight now. it's in america we believe in, where we know that nobody should have to work more than one job whether roof over their head and put food on the table. and ultimately for me it is the america i believe in which also approach aat when we

and in theirger face we see a neighbor. that is the america we are fighting for and i believe we will win. thank you, guys. [applause] -- give give her run her one more round of applause. [applause] >> we will get you the microphone. my name is ken jones from houston, texas. , drove up here to work for you i'm working out of the davenport myice and when i'm doing little testament of ym for you i tell them one word, insulin.

i'm an insulin-dependent diabetic, a retired teacher on pension and i'm proud of the work you've done and i want you to be elected so you can get in there and fight for us. of other thing, i am tired being the only person on facebook that doesn't have a selfie with you. [applause] [laughter] >> a picture is worth a thousand words. [applause] sen. harris: thank you, ken. thank you for not only traveling for the campaign, but that's the strength of our campaign.

supporting that kind of work. insulin. everybody might know this, one in for diabetes patients in america cannot afford their insulin. insulin in america can cost over $300. i'm glad you asked how much it costs in canada. about $30. so one should sit back and ask how is it that american drug companies are charging americans more for the same drug then they canadafor patients in and other places around the globe? how can that be? it's because we have a bunch of people in washington, d.c. in the pocket of these drug companies per -- companies. own stand by and watch our

people be charged more for the same drug by american companies. so when i say health care justices on the ballot, it's about my medicare for all plan but it's also about what i want to do specifically about the pharmaceutical companies and drug prices. another point of distinction between me and a few people on that stage. mine is a career of actually working on things and getting them done. there are very few pop -- very few topics of discussion on which i have not actually worked and i don't mean giving a speech or submitted a bill that may or may not get past. actually worked on it. on this i've taken on the drug companies when i was the attorney general of the cal -- of california and i won. i know what they are doing and i know their business model. so my plan on the issue of drug prices is as follows. we will set drug prices based on

fair market. so essentially what we will do is visit the website where you can find the document, but essentially what we will do is set drug prices so that american consumers are charged a price for the drug that is the average price being charge around the globe. [applause] sen. harris: there is a huge difference, insulin being an example. the other thing is this. if people don't want to cooperate with that, i'm also going to do the next thing which is this, a lot of drugs, prescription medications, was born out of federal funding for the research and development of that drug. your taxpayer dollars. they fail drug where to play by their own rules and if the drug came about because of federal funding for what is called rnd, i will snatch their

patent so that we will take over. yes we can do that. yes we can do that. the question is do you have the will to do it? i have the will to do it. thank you for talking about that as an issue and it just represents for me the bigger issue of what is happening in terms of how people -- seniors in iowa taking buses to canada to get their prescription medication. seniors around the country who are splitting pills. the doctor has prescribed you take the whole pill and people are taking half or a quarter to extend the prescription which is resulting in obvious outcomes because it's not what you're supposed to take. so we are seeing people are going to health crises because

most things around health care if not gradually -- people are dying because they are splitting their pill. seniors are making decisions about filling the refrigerator or filling their prescription. thank you. [applause] >> the gentleman in the back with his hand up, right there. d.c.m from washington, >> is anyone here from muscatine? [laughter] we traveled all the way from tc, we do not have a vote in congress and we've never had and so we are coming to you like we've done with so many other candidates, we traveled the country pretty much, we've seen you and senior rep -- in cedar rapids and what we want to know is will you support d.c. statehood? sen. harris: absolutely.

and here's the thing. i went to howard university. let me tell you i'm really clear about this. , state taxation without representation. i'm there. can we get a picture before you leave? sen. harris: thank you. .> we have a lady in the red >> my name is sarah, i'm a teacher also working another job with a lot of my coworkers and i do. just tired of waking up a few times in the middle of the night scared to go to school. i'm tired of my students coming

to school and being afraid, being afraid in their own neighborhoods because they heard gunshots at night and they feel like they can't go out and play. i know you're not afraid of trump, but i want to know what you're going to say to mitch mcconnell so that they will actually start to change and there are no more sandy hook's and columbine's. so what everyone heard is what's happening around our nation and thank you for having the courage to stand up and say that. our kids are traumatized. just doing an assessment of who's in the room, the majority in this room are over the age of anybodyif you talk to under the age of 20 regardless of where they live, high school, middle, or realm entry schools,

they have the active shooter basison a consistent where literally, and i want to break it down for everybody, where literally they are taught about what they should do in terms of hiding in a closet, crouching in a corner. i was talking with one student, i said tell me what it's like. we do it in every class, but i kind of hope when the shooter comes i'm not in this one classroom because it is near the stairwell and so i often think when i'm in that class i hope it doesn't happen here. i would prefer to be in another classroom because there is a big closet in that. she went on to say i like what this other teacher of mine said

because she has a bungee cord so she will kind of put the file cabinet with a bungee cord against the door so nobody can break in. this publiclyout i cannot tell you the number -- usually a child between eight and 10 who comes up to me after and will pull my jacket like it's a secret between us and will say i had to have one of those drills too. i've met elementary school teachers, including teachers at every level who during teacher orientation before classes started, a big part of their orientation was being taught and trained on how to tackle a gunman. elementary school teachers who tell me part of what we've been trained is -- this one teacher said i should keep red lollipops on me. she said for the youngest kids

we need to keep them quiet. this is what is happening in america. let me tell you something and this is what i say to mitch mcconnell and all those people in congress who are frankly feckless. [applause] thesearris: is that babies, elementary, middle, high school students could care less who their parents voted for in the last election. care care last -- could less. those bullets certainly care less. some of my friends who are opponents in the race have said she's gonna take executive action, what happens when there's a republican who comes in after. i will deal the -- i will deal with that in eight years. we need action. we need action.

[applause] say harris: i just want to to you, thank you for continuing in this profession, part of my plan on education, my first grade teacher attended my law school graduation. i love teachers. the blessing of an incredible mother and family and incredible teachers put me on this stage. and my focus is a number of issues including this but also i will make sure we have a nurse and social worker in every school. [applause] and also doing all the work we need to do to honor our teachers and the significance of our public education system. thank you for sticking with it in spite of all the obstacles in your way. some of the most noble and wonderful human beings.

thank you. [applause] sen. harris: one last quest -- >> we have one last question. >> first of all, thank you. my question is about housing. would you share with us your do --rm and before you all of them are waiting for their picture. i would like to hear about thought my i never city would become unaffordable and it has cost a lot to live in kansas city. sen. harris: there are regions of iowa with the same issue, all

over. it is something where the issue of affordable housing which is the topic, it is probably one of -- i put it on my short list of things we are not talking enough .bout the other one is mental health. bananas.ving me all of the discussions we have been having about health care, which we rightly must have, it is the number one issue. the body starts at the neck down.

everything we need from the neck up is equally important. people are quietly, silently , froming from depression substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and we are putting no resources into it. everyone fromg farmers to veterans, to children. you talk about communities where there is violence, let's be clear, growing up in poverty is trauma inducing and what we are doing to not -- that is a part of my plan, affordable housing. i actually just rolled out part of our policy today which is about $100 billion into affordable housing, but also having a plan for homelessness that is connected. the affordable housing issue, and 99% of the counties in

america, if you are a minimum wage worker working full-time, you cannot afford market rate for a one bedroom apartment. one of the issues about affordable housing is the fact that it is an overall issue, wages have not kept up with the cost of living. this becomes highlighted on a variety of issues that are muchmental to the dignity, less the security of anyone, like a roof over your head. it comes up only talk about affordable childcare, wages have not kept up with the cost of living. childcare in many places is more expensive than college tuition. affordable housing, $100 billion to put into what we need to do. we also need to build affordable housing. it's about families being able to have the wages to afford what is there but also to have more supply. greaterincludes

partnerships with building trades, unions, so plumbers and and carpenters are building in the communities that need affordable housing, the acquire to take the job, building the housing in their own communities. the trump administration talks about this stuff but as with every policy they have, it is self-serving. they talk about affordable housing, policies that if you look at the details are about putting money in the pockets of developers as opposed to putting the money in the community. that is how i look at the issue. thank you for raising it. [applause] >> all right. thank you all. harris outkamala salute.ruly muscatine [cheers and applause]

thank you all. [indiscernible chatter]

>> senator kamala harris

attended a house party sunday at a residence in knoxville, iowa. live coverage begins at 12:20 p.m. eastern on c-span. comments, go to david next in oklahoma on the democrats line. >> thank you for taking my call. in thisthe big winner whole process is c-span. it is the one network that does what trump did not criticize. it is the one network that will open the phones to the speaker who was just before me and then to myself. i am in a state as a democrat where all 77 counties in 2016 voted for president trump. i think there has been enough evidence in what i have seen which is unfiltered on c-span, and without commentary from millionaire bankers, that there

needs to be a trial in the senate. let the process work its way out. if trump is not guilty, let the process work its way out. >> live coverage of the impeachment inquiry and the administration's response on c-span. your unfiltered view of the impeachment inquiry. the house judiciary committee holds a hearing next week with constitutional scholars as part of the impeachment inquiry on president trump. it is intended to focus on the constitutional grounds for presidential impeachment. president has also been invited to attend and have his legal counsel take part by asking questions. we will have live coverage wednesday, december 4 on c-span3. you can also watch online on c-span.org or listen free with the c-span radio app. >> president trump held a campaign rally in sunrise, florida. his first in the state since

filing the change in his residency from new york to florida. he was joined by state lawmakers and officials, including governor ron desantis. vice president mike pence introduced the president. >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the vice president of the united states, mike pence. ♪