Vice President Kamala Harris on first year in the White House: "We have to remain consistent in fighting for the American people"
One year ago, Vice President Kamala Harris made history by becoming the first woman and first person of color, to serve in the role.
In that time, the administration has faced numerous challenges including the COVID pandemic, failing to get some of the administration's high-profile issues passed, and tensions with Russia.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva on Friday amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
On Wednesday, President Biden said that Russia will be held accountable if it invades and it depends "on what it does."
"It's one thing if it's a minor incursion and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do," the president said.
Harris addressed these comments and said the president has been very clear on the subject of Ukraine.
"If Russia takes aggressive action, there will be severe and swift consequences," Harris said. "We've been very clear with Putin that any aggressive action taken by Russia will meet a cost, a severe costs."
A CBS News poll found that one year into Harris' term, Americans have given her a 44% approval rating—the same as President Biden.
Harris told "CBS Morning" that polls "go up and down" but consistency is key.
"We have to remain consistent in fighting for the American people and their needs. And so that is the strategy about staying focused," the vice president said.
Harris said that she will not give up on the issue of affordable child care despite the lack of support from Congress.
"We're not going to give up on affordable child care. We're not going to give up on some of these issues that really get to the heart of what people need and they want. They want solutions, they want things to be fixed," she said.
When it comes to getting COVID under control, the vice president said that the administration will continue to work towards normalcy
"If you look at where we were last year, where we were certainly at the beginning of this pandemic, we know that compared— comparing then to now we've seen great progress," she said. "There is still more work to be done."
Harris also said the administration will keep fighting for the voting rights legislation which did not pass in the Senate last night.
"We will keep fighting to get the legislation passed because that is critical. So, we are not giving up on that," Harris said.
