'Help is here': VP Kamala Harris arrives in New Haven to highlight stimulus plan

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The day is here: Vice President Kamala Harris is visiting New Haven Friday as part of the “Help is Here” tour, which highlights the new American Rescue Plan and its impact.

Harris is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected Vice President. Harris landed at Tweed Airport in New Haven to spend the afternoon in the Elm City.

The focus — children and families. She first stopped at the New Haven Boys and Girls Club, where she held a listening session.

Next, visited the West Haven Child Development Center, where she met with some children.

WEB EXTRA: VP Harris, U.S. Sec. of Education Cardona deliver remarks at Boys and Girls Club of New Haven

“It is a moment to leapfrog over what would have been incremental change,” said Harris. She added, “to actually fast forward and address some of the long lasting issues that have affected our children.”

The new stimulus includes the child tax credit, which is something Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro has been working on for nearly 20 years. She first introduced the amendment back in March 2003. She’s hoping the child tax credit will help those who lost child care during the pandemic. Right now, there are five million women out of work.

WEB EXTRA: VP Harris, U.S. Sec. of Education Cardona arrive at Boys and Girls Club of New Haven

“What are the issues that surround their lives, how will the American Rescue Plan help to alleviate those economic issues before them and insecurities that they have and how we can move forward and what will be available,” DeLauro said.

WEB EXTRA: VP Harris, U.S. Sec. of Education Cardona visit with children at West Haven Child Development Center

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, Connecticut’s U.S. senators, Governor Ned Lamont and DeLauro joined Harris Friday afternoon for what they are calling the stops ‘listening sessions.’

Senator Chris Murphy shared his excitement for Harris’ visit in a statement Friday morning, saying,

“I’m fired up to welcome my former colleague in the Senate and friend Vice President Kamala Harris to Connecticut today. Earlier this month, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan – one of the most significant pieces of legislation in a generation – to crush this pandemic, put money into the pockets of Americans, jumpstart our economy, and lift millions of children out of poverty. The vice president’s visit to our state sends a clear message: help is on the way. I’m happy to join her today in New Haven and showcase some of the amazing work being done in our state.”
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy

WEB EXTRA: VP Harris arrives at Tweed Airport, greeted by CT officials

Mayor Elicker says police worked closely with the secret service ahead of her visit to make sure everything goes smoothly.

As Vice president Kamala Harris made several stops on Friday, her entourage made a little pitstop of their own. Some of her staffers picked up pizza pies this afternoon at Sally’s Apizza. We learned some of her staff also stopped by Zuppardi’s during their trip.

If she happened to stop by, Sally’s Operations Director Robert Nelson says, “Oh yeah, it would be huge, yeah we were all wishing that she would’ve come. It’s my birthday. I wanted to see Kamala Harris on my birthday but whether she came or not it’s not a big deal as long as she’s enjoying Sally’s pies. That’s really all that matters!”

The operations director says if she’s ever back in town, he hopes she make Sally’s her first stop.

New Haven