WILL
WILL START PLAYING WITHOUT FANS AND NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SACRAMENTO NEXT WEEK WILL NOT
HAVE FANS THERE EITHER.
SO LET'S GO TO THE PRESIDENT
NOW AS HE ADDRESSES THE NATION.
>> IT STARTED IN CHINA AND IS
NOW SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE
WORLD.
TODAY, THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION OFFICIALLY
ANNOUNCED THAT THIS IS A GLOBAL
PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE BEEN IN FREQUENT
CONTACT WITH OUR ALLIES, AND WE
ARE MARSHALING THE FULL POWER
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND
THE PRIVATE SECTOR, TO PROTECT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
THIS IS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE AND
COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT TO
CONFRONT A FOREIGN VIRUS IN
MODERN HISTORY.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT BY
CONTINUING TO TAKE THESE TOUGH
MEASURES WE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCE THE THREAT TO OUR
CITIZENS, AND WILL ULTIMATELY
AND EXPEDITIOUSLY, DEFEAT THIS
VIRUS.
FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME,
NATIONS AND PEOPLE HAVE FACED
UNFORESEEN CHALLENGES,
INCLUDING LARGE-SCALE AND VERY
DANGEROUS HEALTH THREATS.
THIS IS THE WAY IT ALWAYS WAS,
AND ALWAYS WILL BE.
IT ONLY MATTERS HOW YOU
RESPOND, AND WE ARE RESPONDING
WITH GREAT SPEED AND
PROFESSIONALISM.
OUR TEAM IS THE BEST ANYWHERE
IN THE WORLD.
AT THE VERY START OF THE
OUTBREAK, WE INSTITUTED
SWEEPING TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON
CHINA, AND PUT IN PLACE THE
FIRST FEDERALLY MANDATED
QUARANTINE IN OVER 50 YEARS.
WE DECLARED A PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY AND ISSUED THE
HIGHEST LEVEL OF TRAVEL WARNING
ON OTHER COUNTRIES AS THE VIRUS
SPREAD ITS HORRIBLE INFECTION.
AND TAKING EARLY INTENSE
ACTION, WE HAVE SEEN
DRAMATICALLY FEWER CASES OF THE
VIRUS IN THE UNITED STATES THAN
THAT ARE NOW PRESENT IN EUROPE.
THE EUROPEAN UNION FAILED TO
TAKE THE SAME PRECAUTIONS AND
RESTRICT TRAVEL FROM CHINA AND
OTHER HOTSPOTS.
AS A RESULT, A LARGE NUMBER OF
NEW CLUSTERS IN THE UNITED
STATES WERE SEATED BY TRAVELERS
FROM EUROPE.
AFTER CONSULTING WITH OUR TOP
GOVERNMENT HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS, I HAVE DECIDED
TO TAKE SEVERAL STRONG
WITNESSES REACTIONS TO PROTECT
THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF
ALL AMERICANS.
TO KEEP NEW CASES FROM ENTERING
OUR SHORES, WE WILL BE
SUSPENDING ALL TRAVEL FROM
EUROPE TO THE UNITED STATES FOR
THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
THE NEW RULES WILL GO INTO
EFFECT FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT.
THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE
ADJUSTED, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS
UNDERGROUND.
THEY WILL BE EXCEPTIONS FOR
AMERICANS WHO HAVE UNDERGONE
APPROPRIATE SCREENINGS EMMA AND
THESE PROHIBITIONS WILL NOT
ONLY APPLY TO FEATURE MEDICINE
AMOUNT OF TRADE AND CARGO, BUT
VARIOUS OTHER THINGS, AS WE GET
APPROVAL.
ANYTHING COMING FROM EUROPE TO
THE UNITED STATES IS WHAT WE
ARE DISCUSSING.
THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL ALSO
NOT APPLY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE
MONITORING THE SITUATION, IN
CHINA, AND IN SOUTH KOREA.
AND AS THEIR SITUATION
IMPROVES, WE WILL REEVALUATE
THE RESTRICTIONS AND WARNINGS
THAT OCCUR THAT ARE CURRENTLY
IN PLACE FOR A POSSIBLE EARLY
OPENING.
EARLIER THIS WEEK I MET WITH
THE LEADERS OF HEALTH INSURANCE
INDUSTRIES, WE HAVE AGREED TO
WAIVE ALL COPAYMENTS FOR
CORONAVIRUS TREATMENTS, EXTEND
INSURANCE COVERAGE, TO THESE
TREATMENTS AND TO PREVENT THE
PRIZE MEDICAL BILLING.
WE ARE CUTTING MASSIVE AMOUNTS
OF RED TAPE TO MAKE ANTIVIRAL
THERAPIES AVAILABLE IN RECORD
TIME.
THESE TREATMENTS WAS
INDIVIDUALLY REDUCE THE IMPACT
AND REACH OF THE VIRUS.
ADDITIONALLY, LAST WEEK I
SIGNED INTO LAW AND $8.3
BILLION FUNDING BILL TO HELP
CDC AND OTHER GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES FIGHT THE VIRUS, AND
SUPPORT VACCINES, TREATMENTS,
AND DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICAL
SUPPLIES.
TESTING AND TESTING
CAPABILITIES ARE EXPANDING
RAPIDLY, DAY BY DAY.
WE ARE MOVING VERY QUICKLY.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS,
THE RISK IS VERY, VERY LOW.
YOUNG AND HEALTHY PEOPLE CAN
EXPECT TO RECOVER FULLY AND
QUICKLY IF THEY SHOULD GET THE
VIRUS.
THE HIGHEST RISK IS FOR ELDERLY
POPULATIONS, WITH UNDERLYING
HEALTH CONDITIONS.
THE ELDERLY POPULATION MUST BE
VERY, VERY CAREFUL.
IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE STRONGLY
ADVISED THAT NURSING HOMES FOR
THE ELDERLY SUSPEND ALL
MEDICALLY UNNECESSARY VISITS.
IN GENERAL, OLDER AMERICANS
SHOULD ALSO AVOID NONESSENTIAL
TRAVEL IN CROWDED AREAS.
MY ADMINISTRATION IS
COORDINATING DIRECTLY WITH
COMMUNITIES WITH LARGEST
OUTBREAKS, AND WE HAVE ISSUED
GUIDANCE ON SCHOOL CLOSURES,
SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND REDUCING
LARGE GATHERINGS.
SMART ACTION TODAY WILL PREVENT
THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS
TOMORROW.
EVERY COMMUNITY FACES DIFFERENT
RISKS, AND IT IS CRITICAL FOR
YOU TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES OF
YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS, WHO ARE
WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR
FEDERAL HEALTH EXPERTS AND THEY
ARE THE BEST.
FOR ALL AMERICANS IT IS
ESSENTIAL THAT EVERYONE TAKE
EXTRA PRECAUTIONS, AND PRACTICE
GOOD HYGIENE.
EACH OF US HAS A ROLE TO PLAY
IN DEFEATING THIS VIRUS.
WASH YOUR HANDS, CLEAN OFTEN
USED SURFACES, COVER YOUR FACE
AND MOUTH IF YOU SNEEZE OR
COUGH, AND MOST OF ALL, IF YOU
ARE SICK OR NOT FEELING WELL,
STAY HOME.
TO ENSURE THAT WORKING
AMERICANS IMPACTED BY THE VIRUS
CAN STAY HOME WITHOUT FEAR OF
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, I WILL SOON
BE TAKING EMERGENCY ACTION
WHICH IS UNPRECEDENTED TO
PROVIDE FINANCIAL RELIEF.
THIS WILL BE TARGETED FOR
WORKERS WHO ARE ILL,
QUARANTINED, OR CARING FOR
OTHERS DUE TO CORONAVIRUS.
I WILL BE ASKING CONGRESS TO
TAKE LEGISLATIVE ACTION TO
EXTEND THIS RELIEF.
BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC
POLICIES THAT WE HAVE PUT INTO
PLACE, OVER THE LAST THREE
YEARS, WE HAVE THE GREATEST
ECONOMY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,
BY FAR.
OUR BANKS AND FINANCIAL
SITUATIONS ARE FULLY
CAPITALIZED AND INCREDIBLY
STRONG.
OUR UNEMPLOYMENT IS AT A
HISTORIC LOW.
THIS VAST ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
GIVES US FLEXIBILITY, RESERVES
AND RESOURCES TO HANDLE ANY
THREAT THAT COMES OUR WAY.
THIS IS NOT A FINANCIAL CRISIS.
THIS IS JUST A TEMPORARY MOMENT
OF TIME THAT WE WILL OVERCOME
TOGETHER AS A NATION, AND AS A
WORLD, HOWEVER, TO PROVIDE
EXTRA SUPPORT FOR AMERICAN
WORKERS, FAMILIES AND
BUSINESSES, TONIGHT I AM
ANNOUNCING THE FOLLOWING
ADDITIONAL ACTIONS.
I AM INSTRUCTING THE SMALL
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO
EXERCISE AVAILABLE AUTHORITY TO
PROVIDE CAPITAL AND LIQUIDITY
TO FIRMS AFFECTED BY THE
CORONAVIRUS.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE SBA
WILL BEGIN PROVIDING ECONOMIC
LOANS IN AFFECTED STATES AND
TERRITORIES.
THESE LOW INTEREST LOANS WILL
HELP SMALL BUSINESSES OVERCOME
TEMPORARY ECONOMIC DISRUPTIONS,
CAUSED BY THE VIRUS.
TO THIS AND I'M ASKING CONGRESS
TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR THIS
PROGRAM BY AN ADDITIONAL $50
BILLION.
USING EMERGENCY AUTHORITY, I
WILL BE INSTRUCTING THE
TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO DEFERRED
TAX PAYMENTS WITHOUT INTEREST
OR PENALTIES, FOR CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES
NEGATIVELY IMPACTED.
THIS ACTION WILL PROVIDE MORE
THAN $200 BILLION OF ADDITIONAL
EQUIPMENT THAT LIQUIDITY TO THE
ECONOMY.
FINALLY AND CALLED UPON US TO
PROVIDE AMERICANS WITH
IMMEDIATE PAYROLL TAX RELIEF.
HOPEFULLY THEY WILL CONSIDER
THIS VERY STRONGLY, WE ARE AT A
CRITICAL TIME IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST THE VIRUS.
WE MADE A LIFE-SAVING MOVE WITH
EARLY ACTION ON CHINA.
NOW, WE MUST TAKE THE SAME
ACTION WITH EUROPE.
WE WILL NOT DELAY.
I WILL NEVER HESITATE TO TAKE
ANY NECESSARY STEPS TO PROTECT
THE LIVES, HEALTH, AND SAFETY
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
I WILL ALWAYS PUT THE WELL-
BEING OF AMERICA FIRST.
IF WE ARE VIGILANT, AND WE CAN
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF INFECTION,
WHICH WE WILL, WE WILL
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPEDE THE
TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS.
THE VIRUS WILL NOT HAVE A
CHANCE AGAINST US.
NO NATION IS MORE PREPARED OR
MORE RESILIENT THAN THE UNITED
STATES.
WE HAVE THE BEST ECONOMY, THE
MOST ADVANCED HEALTHCARE, AND
THE MOST TALENTED DOCTORS,
SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE MUST PUT POLITICS ASIDE,
STOP THE PARTISANSHIP, AND
UNIFIED TOGETHER AS ONE NATION
AND ONE FAMILY. AS HISTORY HAS
PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN,
AMERICANS ALWAYS RISE TO THE
CHALLENGE AND OVERCOME
ADVERSITY.
OUR FUTURE REMAINS BRIGHTER
THAN ANYONE CAN IMAGINE.
ACTING WITH COMPASSION AND
LOVE, WE WILL HEAL THE SICK,
CARE FOR THOSE IN NEED, HELP
OUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AND EMERGE