Vice President Kamala Harris will fly to California on Friday to take an aerial tour of the damage caused by a historically bad wildfire season and announce $1.3 billion in disaster relief funding for the U.S. Forest Service.
The money comes from the bipartisan infrastructure structure, giving her a chance to trumpet one of the administration's big successes.
But it may also offer an insight into how Harris plans to battle back from dire poll ratings - after hitting the one-year mark in office - and hostile headlines after allies told her to be more aggressive in promoting her work.
After a string of sometimes contentious TV interviews Thursday, she sets off on a four-day trip, returning on Monday to Washington via Milwaukee.
At the end of next week she flies to Honduras, for the swearing in of a new president, and a chance to develop her role as the administration's point person on tackling the root causes of migration from Central America.
White House aides chafe at the idea of a reset after high-profile departures in the vice president's office or that Friday's visit to San Bernardino is part of selling Harris, rather than talking about an important issue.
'As climate change increasingly fuels hotter, drier, and longer wildfire seasons, and development continues to expand in the wildland urban Interface, the proactive and preventative measures that are taken while fires are not burning become even more essential,' said a White House official.
Some $600 million will go to California to help it clean up, reforest damaged areas and repair infrastructure.
Vice President Kamala Harris will announce more than a billion dollars in funding for the U.S. Forestry Service on Friday during a trip to San Bernardino on Friday
Last year, the Dixie Fire became the largest in California history, part of a devastating wildfire season. These images show a community center in flames in Greenville, California (above) and the damaged structure after the fire was put out (below)
Kamala Harris has endured terrible poll numbers as the Biden-Harris administration grapples with crises and amid reports of dysfunction in the vice president's office
Her visit reflects a new push by the White House to get the president and vice president on the road more, and turn over the daily legislation negotiations to aides.
It comes amid a slew of reports that Harris is planning to meet negative coverage head on, with a busier media schedule and a campaign schedule that her supporters say will better suit her political skills.
'I don't know if it's a reset so much as just getting her out and about again after a difficult time,' said a Democratic strategist, who like several others spoke on condition of anonymity in order to be candid.
It follows a turbulent period in office, with her approval ratings under water and key staff departing.
In recent weeks she has taken on a new communications director and worked to fill other public relations positions.
Her first year in office reached its lowest point last month, when she was branded a 'bully' who inflicted 'constant soul destroying criticism' on her staff by insiders quoted in the Washington Post.
Former staffers said the vice president was exhibiting the same management style that had dogged much of her political career.
Spokeswoman Symone Sanders, communications chief Ashley Etienne and two other staffers who helped shape the vice president’s public
