Vice Presidential Pool Reports of October 26, 2022

VP Travel Pool Report #1 / heading out

At 9:31 AM the vice president departed from the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle in the motorcade.

The vice president is scheduled to arrive at the Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, at 9:40 AM and speak at 10:20 AM.

She and EPA administrator Michael S. Regan will deliver remarks on the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, which today announced the awardees for nearly $1 billion in funding for school districts across the country to buy zero- and low-emission buses.

At 11:50 AM the VP is supposed to leave Lumen and travel to Showbox, a legendary local nightclub, for a fundraiser with Washington Senator Patty Murray, who is in a competitive reelection race against political newcomer and Republican Tiffany Smiley.

At 1:25 PM the VP is expected to travel to King County International Airport, where she will depart at 1:50 PM en route to Joint Base Andrews.

VP Travel Pool Report #2 / school bus event

VP Harris attended an event at the Seattle Seahawks' Lumen Field to promote the ~$1B the Environmental Protection Agency awarded today to dozens of school districts around the country to buy zero- and low-emission school buses.

Taking the podium at 10:27 AM in an indoor concourse in front of three electric school buses made by bus-makers Lion Electric Co., Thomas Built Buses and Blue Bird Corp., she said "These investments are going to go everywhere that school buses go."

She called taking the school bus "a quintessential part of being a kid in America."

"95 percent of our school buses are fueled with diesel fuel, which can lead to serious conditions," she said, mentioning respiratory problems suffered by children, like asthma.

"It is about our investment in their health and education," she said.

Speaking prior to Harris were EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Washington Senator Patty Murray, and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, as well as Audrey Gmerek, a student in the South Whidbey School District, which will get an electric bus under the Clean School Bus Program.

Gov. Inslee in his remarks presented the new buses as important climate solution in Washington, "the state that had the worst air quality in the world because of these wildfires."

The motorcade leaves soon for Showbox for the fundraiser with Sen. Murray.

VP Travel Pool Report #3 / Murray fundraiser

VP Harris took the stage at 1:18 PM at Showbox, a famed downtown Seattle nightclub hung with crystal chandeliers that has hosted acts like Dire Straits and the Paychedelic Furs.

She was there to support the re-election of Washington Sen. Patty Murray (D), who is in a surprisingly close race against political neophyte and Republican Tiffany Smiley.

Harris, who served four years in the Senate before becoming vice president, focused on Murray's efforts to reduce costs for families and her leadership in the Senate democratic caucus.

"There there is an inverse relationship between Patty Murray's height and her power," said Harris of the short-statured Murray.

Speaking before Harris were Washington's other senator, Maria Cantwell (D), and Murray herself.

Murray outlined differences between her priorities and those of Smiley. The crowd, which mostly filled the 1,150-person-capacity venue, responded most enthusiastically to Murray's comments on issues of climate change and abortion.

VP Harris departed at 1:45 PM to King County International Airport.

VP travel pool report #4 / departure

That's a wrap. At 2:15 PM, VP Harris is wheels up from King County International Airport, en route to Joint Base Andrews.