Vice President Kamala Harris defended her support for fracking during the debate, despite previously calling for a ban, sparking renewed questions about her shifting stance on the critical issue for Pennsylvania's economy.
During Tuesday’s debate, Vice President Kamala Harris faced questions about her stance on fracking, an issue crucial to Pennsylvania’s economy. Moderators asked Harris to clarify her current position, given her previous calls for a ban.
“My values have not changed,” Harris responded. “I made that very clear in 2020. I will not ban fracking. I have not banned fracking as vice president. In fact, I was the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, which opened new leases for fracking. My position is that we must invest in diverse energy sources to reduce our reliance on foreign oil.”
Harris has shifted her position on fracking, a stance she strongly opposed during the 2020 Democratic primary. At that time, Harris said, “There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking,” specifically calling for legislation to address its environmental impact, particularly on public lands.
Despite this, the debate moderators did not press Harris for details on the shift. In a previous August 2024 interview with CNN, when confronted with her earlier statements, Harris denied having ever pledged to ban fracking, saying she had made her position clear on the debate stage in 2020 and continues to support domestic energy production.
.png)