NEEDED. >> Shannon: RICK LEVENTHAL ON
THE STREETS OF NEW YORK.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THE SENATE MAY BE WORKING THIS
WEEKEND TO TRY TO GET A HISTORIC
BILL PASSED AIMED AT STOPPING
THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS AND
ALSO HELPING AFFECTED AMERICANS
AND A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
EMBRACING FOR OVERLOAD.
THE NAVY IS PREPARING TO SENT
SHIPS TO EITHER COAST.
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN FROM
INDIANA, JIM BANKS HERE WITH US.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK.
>> GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
>> IT’S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING
TO LEARN ABOUT THE SHIPS.
MY GOOD BUDDY, DANA PERINO,
SPENT TIME ON THEM.
AND YOU AT ONE POINT WERE PART
OF A MISSION SUPPORTING THE
MERCY SHIP GOING OUT.
IT’S DESCRIBED THIS WAY.
AT FULL STRENGTH, EACH SHIP HAS
A CREW OF 71.
12 FULLY EQUIPPED OPERATING
ROOMS, 1,000 BED HOSPITAL
FACILITY, DIGITAL AND
RADIOLOGICAL SERVICES, MEDICAL
LAB, PHARMACY AND MORE.
TELL US WHAT THEY’RE CAPABLE OF.
>> WELL, SHANNON, ONE OF MY
FAVORITE EXPERIENCES SURVEYING
IN THE NAVY RESERVES WAS
SUPPORTING THE MERCY.
IN A I HAVE SID TO EAST TEEMORE
IN 2016, I GOT TO SEE FIRST HAND
WHAT THE MEN AND WOMEN DO ON
THESE HOSPITAL SHIPS.
WE HAVE TWO OF THEM, THE MERCY
AND THE COMFORT.
THEY HAVE SERVED OVER 500,000
PEOPLE IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE
WORLD SINCE 2001.
THEY EXPORT GOODWILL AS PART OF
THEIR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS AND
THE GLOBE AND PROVIDING
HEALTHCARE THAT THOSE THAT NEED
IT AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
CALLED THEM TO SELF AT HOME DUE
TO THE CORONAVIRUS.
WHAT I SAW IN 2016, 1,200
DOCTORS AND NURSES AND MEN AND
WOMEN THAT MAKE UP THE U.S.
NAVY, THOSE THAT SERVE IN THE
NAVY, SERVE ON THE MERCY, WHAT
THEY DO, THE HUGE LOGISTICAL
EFFORT THAT GOES INTO DEPLOYING
THESE SHIPS.
THESE SHIPS. IT’S AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR
US TO SHOW AMERICANS WHAT THEY
DO.
DO. WE HAVE TWO OF THESE HOSPITAL
SHIPS.
SHIPS. AIM PROPONENT THAT WE HAVE MORE
OF THEM.
OF THEM. I THINK WE NEED A FLEET OF A
DOZEN OR MO TO SHOW OFF THE BEST
OF WHAT AMERICA HAS TO OFFER AND
WHEN WE NEED THEM AT HOME DURING
A CRISIS LIKE WHAT WE’RE
EXPERIENCING CURRENTLY.
EXPERIENCING CURRENTLY. >> Shannon: AND I UNDERSTAND
THEY’RE EQUIPPED FOR COVID BUT
COULD TAKE OTHER TRACK OFF OF
THE HOSPITALS SO THE HOSPITALS
ON LAND COULD SERVE THAT
PURPOSE.
PURPOSE. THERE’S SKEPTICS OUT THERE.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO
RESPOND TO THIS.
IN FORBES, IT SAYS --
>> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> THAT’S AN OUTRAGEOUS CHARGE.
WHEN YOU SEE FIRST HAND WHAT
THESE HOSPITAL SHIPS DO, WHAT
THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT SERVE ON
IT DO, YOU’LL SEE THAT WHAT THEY
DO IS A SERIOUS EFFORT TO TAKE
CARE OF THOSE IN NEED.
WHEN THE MERCY GOES TO SEATTLE
NEXT WEEK AND THE COMFORT
ARRIVES IN NEW YORK CITY, THOSE
INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL BE SERVED
THERE WILL BECOME BIG PROPONENTS
AFTER THEY EXPERIENCE WHAT THESE
HOSPITAL SHIPS DO.
EVERYBODY WILL SEE THEY SERVE A
TREMENDOUS PURPOSE.
TREMENDOUS PURPOSE. I’M PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO AND
WHAT EVERYONE THAT SERVES ON
THEM DO.
THEM DO. THE SUPPORT THAT THEY PROVIDE
AND CAN’T WAIT FOR MORE PEOPLE
TO BECOME AWARE OF THAT.
>> Shannon: BEFORE YOU GO, I
WANT YOU TO PUT ON YOUR OTHER
HAT AS A LAWMAKER.
HOW QUICKLY CAN PEOPLE THAT WILL
RECEIVE CHECKS, FOLKS IN MANY
CASES THAT ARE DESPERATE LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE FUTURE, HOW
QUICKLY WILL THEY GET TO
AMERICANS?
AMERICANS? >> I HOPE IT COMES SOON.
I’VE JUST HAD A VERY EMOTIONAL
WEEK IN MY DISTRICT LISTENING TO
CONSTITUENTS.
CONSTITUENTS. MY WARNING IS THESE DIRECT
CHECKS AS PART OF THE THIRD
PHASE, THE THIRD BILL THAT WAS
JUST UNVEILED LAST NIGHT IN THE
SENATE STILL HAS A WAYS TO GO.
IT’S BEING DEBATED AND PUT
TOGETHER IN THE SENATE.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
HERE.
HERE. THERE’S STILL A WAYS FOR IT TO
GO BECOME IT BECOMES SIGNED BY
THE PRESIDENT AND THE CHECKS ARE
DISBURSED