Biden and VP Laud Rev. Jesse Jackson on His Retirement

 At the Rainbow PUSH Coalition's 57th Annual Convention in Chicago yesterday, the Reverend Jesse Jackson officially announced his retirement as the organization's president and Reverend Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III of Dallas was named to succeed Jackson. (NBC DFW News). Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the Convention, (Full text of Remarks.) Also President Joe Biden issued a Statement (full text) thanking Rev. Jackson for his life's work, saying in part:

The promise of America is that we are all created equal in the image of God and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. While we’ve never fully lived up to that promise, we’ve never fully walked away from it because of extraordinary leaders like Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.

Kamala Harris: Abortion Bans Without Rape and Incest Exceptions Are "Immoral"

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke yesterday in Des Moines, Iowa at a Roundtable on Reproductive Rights. (Full text of her remarks). She said in part:

We have seen what I would consider and do consider, as a former prosecutor, to be an immoral approach to survivors of rape or incest where, in states, there is even no exception after an individual has survived such an act of violation to their body and then, by their state, being deprived of the ability, after that, to make other decisions about their body.  It’s immoral. 

And let’s be clear: On this issue, one does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her or any individual what to do with their body. 

Let them make that decision if they choose with their priest, with their pastor, with their rabbi, with whomever.  But the government should not be telling her what to do with her own body.

National Prayer Breakfast Held Yesterday

President Biden spoke yesterday at the National Prayer Breakfast (full text of remarks) which, this year was held at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. Vice-President Harris also delivered remarks.  C-Span has video and a transcript of the full breakfast. A day before the Breakfast, Sen. Chris Coons, one of the Breakfast organizers, told Religion News Service that this year's Breakfast is intended to be a "positive reset" of the 70-year old event which, in recent years, has become controversial.  This year's breakfast attendees were limited to members of Congress, speakers and spouses.  The keynote speaker this year was Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and author  of the book “Just Mercy.”

Biden and Harris Issue Statement In Support Of Roe v. Wade

Last Saturday (Jan. 22) was the 49th anniversary of the decision in Roe v. Wade that established a constitutional right to abortion.  On Saturday, the White House issued a statement from President Biden and Vice President Harris (full text), saying in part:

The Biden-Harris Administration strongly supports efforts to codify Roe, and we will continue to work with Congress on the Women’s Health Protection Act. All people deserve access to reproductive health care regardless of their gender, income, race, zip code, health insurance status, immigration status, disability, or sexual orientation. And the continued defense of this constitutional right is essential to our health, safety, and progress as a nation.

We must ensure that our daughters and granddaughters have the same fundamental rights that their mothers and grandmothers fought for and won on this day, 49 years ago....

Kamala Harris Has Varied Religious Background

 Religion News Service reports on the broad exposure to various religious faiths experienced by Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee for vice-president. Her mother was Hindu, but she grew up attending predominately Black churches. She now considers herself a Black Baptist. Her husband Douglas Emhoff is Jewish.