On Monday, Democratic National Committee delegates passed the party’s platform in a voice vote. The themes are familiar, with a focus on reproductive rights, the working class, climate change, and infrastructure, among other things. The original platform was approved just days before President Joe Biden’s exit from the race and unveiled a day before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
And although Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are seeking to differentiate themselves from Biden, Harris is amplifying many of his policy proposals.
Capital B will be paying attention. In the meantime, here’s what we know about where Harris and Walz stand on the issues.
Economy
At a campaign stop in Raleigh, North Carolina, last week, Harris gave Americans a glimpse of her first policy plan to boost the economy for everyday Americans.
While her speech didn’t give specific details, Harris pledged to lower the cost of living for struggling Americans, especially in Black and brown communities, by limiting the costs of housing, food, and prescription drugs.
She also promised to tackle corporate price-gouging, much as she did as attorney general of California in the aftermath of the state’s housing crisis.
When the temporary childhood tax credit expired in 2021 and wasn’t renewed by lawmakers in Congress, Walz started his own version of the credit in the state. Since 2023, all Minnesota taxpayers with children have been able to receive “$1,750 per qualifying child, with no limit on the number of children claimed,” according to the bill.
More than 400,000 children have benefited.
Minnesota’s tax system has been rated “moderately progressive” by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy for pulling more taxes from higher earners than from lower tax brackets.
Voting rights
Harris has urged Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. It’s named after the late civil rights leader Harris has described as “an American hero who dedicated his life to fighting for our nation’s highest ideals.”
The legislation would revive some of the protections of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 that have been eroded over the past decade, including the requirement that certain jurisdictions receive federal approval before changing their voting laws or procedures.
In May, Walz signed the Minnesota Voting Rights Act. The legislation reestablishes private enforcement after an 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling last year restricted who can bring litigation under the federal Voting Rights Act.
“Democracy thrives when everyone’s voice is heard. Today, we’re ensuring a strong democracy by prioritizing accessibility and voter protections,” Walz said in a press release. “With this bill, we are breaking barriers that stand in the way of voting, protecting fair democratic processes, and paving the way for Minnesota to continue to lead the nation in voter turnout.”
Labor and unions
Harris said her campaign supports the right to organize, improve workplace conditions, and advocate for fair wages. At a rally in Las Vegas, she pledged to raise the minimum wage and endorsed a “no tax on tips” policy – an idea Trump proposed in June. . TNeither Harris nor Walz has been specific about how much the federal minimum wage should be raised, or explained if minimum-wage workers can also earn untaxed tips.
As governor, Walz signed a labor bill that created wage theft protections.
Criminal justice and policing
Harris’ launched the nation’s first “Back on Track” recidivism program in 2005 as district attorney of San Francisco, and stood behind death penalty cases as California’s attorney general.
The state of Minnesota has opposed the death penalty since 1911, and Walz continued to follow suit. He was also able to revive the state’s Board of Pardons in 2021 by granting its first “full and absolute pardon” in over 30 years at the time. The Biden-Harris administration has commuted the sentences of over 100 people and issued more than two dozen pardons as of this month.
As a senator, Harris was a co-author of the first draft of the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act. The legislation aims to reform law enforcement agencies with requirements that include creating a national database of law enforcement who are confirmed bad actors to prevent them from being rehired, and limit the use of qualified immunity — a huge factor that has stumped the bill from advancing in Congress for four years.
Climate
Climate
As a senator, Harris sponsored the Green New Deal, which was by far the most progressive climate policy introduced at the federal level. Although the bill never passed, it outlined elements of reparations for Black, brown, and Indigenous people who bear the brunt of extreme weather and environmental injustices. It also would’ve laid the groundwork for a quick, intense energy and economy transformation, including 100% clean energy production within a decade.
As vice president, s, she cast the tie-breaking vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, which is the most expansive climate-related spending bill in history. The law outlines around half a trillion dollars over the next decade to help wean the country off fossil fuels through targeted infrastructure and job investments.
As governor of Minnesota, Walz led the state in adopting some of the strongest clean energy policies in the nation, including strict car pollution rules and a 2040 goal for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Some of his policies have been replicated across the country at the state level and included in the Biden administration’s federal approach. As a congressman representing a rural Minnesota district, his climate and environment votes typically strayed from mainstream Democrats and oftentimes aligned with conservatives. Most notably, he voted in favor of one of the largest oil and gas pipelines in the world and repeatedly voted to expand oil and gas drilling in the oceans around the U.S.
Reproductive health
At the start of the year, Harris set off on a “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour, traveling around the country to underscore the importance of protecting the right to abortion.
Walz, too, has been an advocate of reproductive justice, including access to in vitro fertilization.
Additionally, Walz has enacted a law that enshrines reproductive freedom, including the right to reproductive health care, into the Minnesota constitution. And while he’s been in the governor’s mansion, the state has repealed abortion-related restrictions — the 24-hour waiting period for anyone seeking an abortion, for instance.
Education
Prior to Walz becoming governor, congressman, and serving in the National Guard, he was a high school teacher and football coach.
Last year, he signed a bill into law that increased public spending on education, and made school breakfasts and lunches free for all students regardless of their parents’ or guardians’ socioeconomic status. Minnesota is one of eight states to offer free meals regardless of income.
Harris has advocated for increasing funding for Head Start programs; closing the wage gap between teachers and other professions that require a college education; supporting free tuition for four-year degrees for lower- and middle-income families; and has prosecuted child sexual predators.
This story has been updated.