As a public service, along with these other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. Announcer at Vice President harris called for a shortterm ceasefire in the israel hamas war during remarks in selma, alabama was marking the anniversary of bloody sunday, an attack on civilrights protesters in the city. Vice president harris also addressed voting rates. This is nearly 20 minutes. V. P. ■ harris can we give it up for her [laughter] oh, indeed, our hopes and dreams are alive and well. Good afternoon everyone. Good afternoon. Please have a seat. I tell you when i listen to her, i know that bright it is so good to be in selma and on behalf of the second gentleman and me, it is a privilege to be with s many leaders, members of congress, members of our administration, dedicad activists, and dear friends. So before i begin today, i must address the humanitarian crisis in gaza. Wh in gaza is devastating. We have seen reports of families eating leaves or animal feed. Women giving birth to malnourished babies with little or no medical care. And children dying from malnrias i have said many timeso many innocent palestinians have been killed. Lfthen just a few days ago we saw hungry, desperate people approach aid trucks, simply trying to secure food for their families after weeks aid reachi. And they were met with gunfire and chaos. Our hearts break for the victims of that horrific tragedy and for all the innocent people in gaza who are suffering from what is clearly a humanitarian catastrophe. People in gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane. And our common humanity compels us to act. As President Joe Biden friday, the United States is committed to urgently get more lifesaving assistance to innocent palestinians in need. Yesterday the department of defense carried out its firstain assistance, and the United States will continue these air drops. [light applause]work on the new route by sea to deliver aid. And the Israeli Government must do more to significantly no excuses. A v. P. Harris they must open a new border crossings. They cant impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid. They must ensure humanitarian convoys are not targeted. And they must work and promote r in gaza so more food, water and fuel reach those in need. As i have said repeatedly, right to defend itself. President biden and i are unwavering in our commitment to israels security. Hamas cannot control gaza. The threat hamas poses to the people of israel must be a must be eliminated. Hamas no regard for innocent life,suffered under almost two decades. In hamas and hamas still holds hundreds of hostages. Innocent men and women including american citizensly taken from s and from a concert. I will repeat the threat of hamas poses to the people of israel must be eliminated. And given the immense scale of suffering in gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire. [applause] for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table. Will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in. This would allow us to build something more enduring, to is secure and resp the Palestinian People to dignity, freedom, and selfdetermination. Well, there is a deal on the table. As we have said, hamas needs to agree to that deal. Lets get a ceasefire, lets reunite the hostages with their families, and lets provide immediate relief to the people of gaza. [applause] i will now address the occasion for our gathering today, on this hallowed ground, on the foot of the Edmund Pettus bridge, where 59 years ago, on a cold sunday morning, 600 brave souls set out from selma, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, they marched for the freedoms that were there is by birth and ■ theirs by birth and by righ, the freedom to vote, the freedom to live without fear of violence or intimidation, the freedom to be full and equal members of our nation. They marched peacefully, they violence against them was inevitable. They knew they be surrounded by troopers with sticks. They knew they might be trampled by horses. Even so, they but they were forced to retreat. D yet, they would not be deter red, defeated, or denied. And they returned to this bridge, while many÷■ were stil bound in bandages, because they knew what was on the others. N the other side. A promise of a future that was more equal, more just, and more free. And yes, they crossed this so doing they also built aether white americans, lot americans, all sorts of americans, ministers and rabbis, folks of all ages and backgrounds. An six months later, the Voting Rights act ofj a964 was signed into law of 1964 was signed into law. The story of selma. The story of our nation. Freedom is fundamental to the promise of america. Freedom is not to be given. It is not to be bestowed. It is ours by right. And the power behind the promise of freedom has always been in the face of her people. And our willingness to fight for freedom, be it on the fields of gettysburg, in the schools of little rock, streets of ferguson, and on this brie right here in selma. [applause] and today we know our fight for freedom is not over. Because in this moment, we are witnessing a full on attack on hardfought,rdwon freedoms, starting with the freedom that unlocks all others, the freedom to vote, the sacred freedom to vote. Today in nation, extremists pass laws to restrict voting. Absentee ballots. Even making it illegal to give people food and water while standing in line to exercise their civic right and duty to vote. Ifriends, whatever happened to Love Thy Neighbor . The hypocrisy abounds. And do notice the governor of ■56th anniversary of this vy march. Across our nation, extremists attack the integrity of free and fair ele of threats and violence against bull workers. In the face of these assaults on the freedom to vote and in honor of all those who crossed this bridge, President Biden and i will continue to demand e dom to vote act and the john lewis voting the fight for freedom today in■r freedoms are attacked, a womans decision about her own body. No exception for rape or incest. Here in alabama, they attacked the freedom to use ivf treatments. Women and lehe ability to fulfill their dream of having a child. And consider the irony, on the one hand, these extremists tell women■ do not have the freedom to end an unwanted pregnancy, and on the otherand, they tell women they do not have the freedom to start a family. Let us agree, one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held belief to agree the her what to do with her body. [applause] the fight for freedom. That every person in our to be free from the horror of gun violence. [appe] these extremists stand by and refused to pass reasonable gun safety laws to keep our children and places of worship safe. Freedom, that every person in our nation has the right to free to freedom of who they love or openly and with pride. And yet just this past year, extremists have passed or proposed hundreds of laws ople. Freedom. That every person in our nation has the freedom to learn and acknowledge our countrys true and full history. [applause] and yet today, extremists past book passed book bans in this year of our lord 2024. They also tried to erase, overlook, and rewrite the ugly parts of our past. Fundamental freedoms onorsal fundamental freedoms under assault. The freedom to vote. The freedom from fear, violence and harm. The freedom to learn. The freedom to control ion ues own body. And the freedom to just simply be. And understand the profound impacts these attacks have on the next generation of our leaders. Just last fall, 15,000 young. E leaders join me during my fight for our freedoms college tour, and for them, these attacks on freedom are a lived experience. It is their lived experience that extremist leaders have intentionally closed polling places near college campuses. Can restricted the use of student id and restricted the use of student ids to vote. It is black voters and student voters that are most targeted by antivoter laws. [applause] a lived experience that their reproductive years, the highest court in our land, the court of thurgood and rbd, took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of america from the women of america, so that now this generation has fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. Their lived experience that from kindergarten to 12th grade, they have consistently had to endure active shooter drills, while extremists refused to pass universal background checks,flan ban. [applause] our young leaders, well, they are clear eyed about what is at stake. And in t a young john lewis, i know, they, too, will not be deterred, they will not be defeated, and they will not be denied. So, selma, the challenge we currently challenges we currently f are not the challenges faced by those 600 brave souls years ago. And in this moment, we, too, are confronted with a fundamental question, what kind of country do live in . Do we want to live in a country ofreedom, liberty, and justice . Or a country of injustice, hate, and fear . We each have the power toanswer. With our voice, with our feet, and with our vote. Ill close by sharing with you, in the west wing office in the white house my west wing office in the white house, yeah, that is where i work. [applause] i hung a piece of this artwork that is the first thing i see when i walk into my office in the morning. It is the large framed photograph takenaa on bloody sunday depicting an injured amelia boynton, receiving care at the foot and for me, it is ay reminder of the struggle, the sacrifice, and of how much owe to those who gave so much before us. History race. Generations before us carried the baton. And now, they have passed it to us. So let us continue to organize,