TODAY IS TUESDAY,
OCTOBER 6th.
I AM JOINED TODAY BY SECRETARY
OF STATE BENSON AND DELTA
TOWNSHIP CLERK MARY CLARK.
I WANT TO START WITH ABUPDATE ON
OUR RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC.
FOR THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS, I'VE
BEEN MAKING THE TOUGH
DECISIONS.
I TOOK US FROM A STATE WITH THE
THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF COVID
CASES PER MILLION, BACK IN MARCH
AND APRIL, TO NOW WE ARE THE 33rd
HIGHEST IN SEPTEMBER.
WE'VE MADE INCREDIBLE STRIDES IN
THIS STATE.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST ECONOMIC
RECOVERIES IN THE NATION, TOO.
IN STUDIES HAVE CONCLUDED THAT
THOSE ACTIONS SAVED THOUSANDS OF
LIVES.
BUT AFTER THE REPUBLICAN-LED
LEGISLATURE SUED TO TAKE AWAY MY
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY, THIS PAST
FRIDAY, THE MICHIGAN STATE
SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN THE
STATUTE UNDER WHICH I HAD ISSUED
SEVERAL OF THESE EXECUTIVE
ORDERS SO WE COULD SAVE LIVES
AND PROTECT MICHIGAN FAMILIES.
AND COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES.
AND OUR FRONT LINE WORKERS.
AS A RESULT OF THIS ACTION WITH
THE COURT'S ACTION, THE
LEGISLATURE'S ACTION, OUR
COVID-19 CASES COULD LIKELY GO
UP.
THERE WILL BE UNCERTAINTY, THERE
WILL BE DISRUPTION AND POSSIBLY
GREATER RISK TO OUR ECONOMY, TO
OUR LOVED ONES, POSSIBLY MORE
PEOPLE QUARANTINED AND MORE
FATALITIES.
WE'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN
ELSEWHERE.
WHAT THIS RULING DOES NOT MEAN
IS THAT THE ORDERS I ISSUED
VIOLATED THE LAW.
ALTHOUGH I DISAGREE WITH THE
COURT'S CONCLUSION, THEY HELD
THE LAW, THE 1945 LAW
UNCONSTITUTIONAL, MEANING THAT
LEGISLATURE 75 YEARS AGO,
DEPARTMENT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
EXTEND THESE TYPES OF POWERS TO
A GOVERNOR.
THE COURT MADE IT CLEAR THAT I
HAD INTERPRETED THIS LAW
CORRECTLY AND UTILIZED MY
POWERS.
AND WHAT THIS RULING ALSO DOES
NOT MEAN IS THAT ALL THE
PROTECTIONS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE
ARE GONE.
THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE.
WE HAVE ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY
THAT I WILL USE TO CONTINUE TO
PROTECT OUR FAMILIES FROM THE
SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS.
YESTERDAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
ISSUED AN EMERGENCY ORDER THAT
IS RESTRICTING GATHERING SIZES
AND REQUIRING FACE COVERINGS IN
PUBLIC SPACES.
THAT SHOULD SOUND FAMILIAR
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN
DOING.
WE'RE GOING KEEP DOING IT.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CDC AND
THE BEST SCIENTISTS ALL AGREE ON
IS OUR BEST TOOL IN THIS
MOMENT.
SO WHILE THE SUPREME COURT HAS
SPOKEN, AND WHILE I VENNMENTLY
DISAGREE WITH THE CONCLUSION,
NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE
REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE
TO COME BACK TO TOWN AND START
SHOWING THAT THEY TAKE THIS
CRISIS SERIOUSLY TOO.
I'M READY TO WORK WITH THE
LEGISLATURE BUT I'M NEVER GOING
TO NEGOTIATE WHEN IT COMES TO
DOING THE RIGHT THING AND
PROTECTING THE PEOPLE'S HEALTH.
THIS IS A DEADLY VIRUS THAT
STILL POSES A VERY REAL THREAT.
IT STILL PREYS ON OUR MOST
VULNERABLE POP LAYINGS.
AND AS YOUR GOVERNOR, I WILL
CONTINUE TO USE EVERY TOOL AT MY
DISPOSAL TO COMBAT COVID-19.
I'M HERE IN THE COPE TODAY BUT
THE LEGISLATURE'S NOT.
THAT'S WHY I'M HOPING THEY WILL
CANCEL THEIR OCTOBER RECESS AND
GET BACK TO WORK.
AND THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS
THAT THEY SHOULD UNDERTAKE WHEN
THEY RETURN IS TO CODIFY MY
EXECUTIVE ORDER ON
UNEMPLOYMENT.
BECAUSE WITHOUT SHIFT ACTION,
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
IN OUR STATE -- HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF HARDWORKING PEOPLE
WHO HAVE FAMILIES AND NEED TO
PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, WILL LOSE
THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IF
THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T ACT IN
THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
THESE ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO
HAVE LOST A JOB AND WERE
COUNTING ON EXPANDED BENEFITS TO
PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR THEIR
KIDS.
WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING
COVID-19, WE CANNOT ESCAPE THE
REALITY THAT WE ARE ALL IN THIS
TOGETHER.
SO, MY FELLOW MICHIGANDERS,
HERE'S WHAT I NEED YOU TO DO:
KEEP WEARING YOUR MASK.
KEEP YOUR PHYSICAL DISTANCE TO
6 FEET FROM PEOPLE YOU DON'T
LIVE WITH.
AND WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY.
TAKING THIS ACTION IS ESSENTIAL
TO KEEPING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES
AND OUR SCHOOLS OPEN.
BECAUSE COVID-19 DIDN'T STOP
BEING A THREAT JUST BECAUSE OF A
COURT RULING.
OR BECAUSE OF "WE'RE TIRED OF
IT."
OR BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE'S NOT
IN TOWN.
WE CANNOT SQUANDER THE SACRIFICE
THAT WE'VE ALREADY MADE TO GET
HERE AND THAT'S WHY WE ALL HAVE
TO KEEP DOING OUR PART.
YOU CAN TAKE ACTION THAT
PROTECTS THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN
WHO STAY ON THE FRONT LINES SO
THE REST OF US CAN BE SAFE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE
WORKERS AND THE GROCERY STORE
CLERKS.
TALKING ABOUT ALL OF OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS AND OUR UTILITY
WORKERS AND SANITATION WORKERS.