We just completed a conference call with the nation's governors of all of our states and territories.

It was a good, productive discussion.

We talked about mitigation efforts, talked about the president's decision yesterday, too.

Issue a major disaster declaration for New York on California and Washington state.

Surge resource is to those areas, including field hospitals and personal protective equipment.

We feel that additional request today from other states, most especially New Jersey, that's feeling the impact of the outbreak in New York state.

This point, our health experts inform us that that New York has become, in effect, the epicenter of the Corona virus spread in the country.

So we're gonna continue to focus.

Resource is there even as we work through this extraordinary structure here, FEMA to make sure that our states and local communities the full support of the federal government as they confront the Corona virus.

It was a good discussion today Way talked about all the issues, whether it's the enabling states to stand up their National Guard with federal support, specific need for supplies, that progress that we're making on issues for masks, ventilators on all of it represents the ongoing partnership that President Trump has forged with all of our governors, all of our states and territories and that dialogue will continue on.

We continue to make it clear to our governors that we're gonna do whatever it takes.

We're gonna make sure they have the resources and the support in the best guidance from the best health experts in the world to put the health and safety of their citizens.

First questions, sir, you mentioned earlier It's there is.

Well, what we unpacked for the governor's today is that when the president engaged leaders of a number of medical associations, we determine that the devices that are used by anesthesiologists it could be easily converted to ventilators that could be used for people struggling with the Corona virus.

We've worked with the FDA.

They issued guidance on the changing of event in that piece of equipment.

And so we directed all of our governors again today to survey all of their outpatient clinics to identify what we believe are Tens of thousands of these devices, which could add to our nation's resource, is for ventilators for people that might be severely impacted by the Corona virus way a strong response from our governors.

But we reiterated again today that because off what the anesthesiologists have, Step Four and told us would be available because of the swift work of the FDA.

Now our governors around America are going to be able to identify a whole new range of, ah, ventilators that could be could be easily converted, add to their supply and focused at the point of the need in their states.

That's in addition to what we have in the national stockpile, the ventilators that we have in the marketplace today, as well as an extraordinary efforts by American industry to step up and join us in manufacturing more ventilators for the American people.

General Motors is working with one other company to begin to actually manufacture.

Ventilators were working with them on that contract, and again, it's This is the whole of America approach.

We're seeing all of America step up.

And when our anesthesiologist made it clear that these these devices could be available and converted to treat people struggling with Corona virus, our team went straight to work and now, working with our governors, were gonna identify that resource.

Are you considering loosening in any of the White House guidelines to try to resuscitate when the president laid out the 15 days to slow the spring, we believe that we had an opportunity early in the progress of the Corona virus across the country to impact the trajectory of of of the disease.

It's significantly lower the number of Americans would be exposed to it and threatened by serious illness.

It's important to remember most most Americans, even those that contract the Corona virus, will fully recover above for seniors with serious underlying health conditions, with people with serious immune deficiencies when the threat is real.

And so the president thought it was important a CZ.

We focus on areas where we've had significant outbreak, and we support areas like California and Washington State and in New York with specific countermeasures and support.

The governor's in those states thought it was important for every American to take action, and tens of millions are to help us slow the spread.

But at the end of this 15 days, we're going to get with our health experts.

We're going to evaluate ways in which we might be able to adjust that guidance for the American people.

But those measures right now, we're all in the belief that we could, that we could impact the trajectory of the curve of the Corona virus in America in a way that would that would spare many Americans from being exposed or contracting the disease and, of course, save lives.

But we'll, we'll look at where we are and we'll evaluate based on our health experts.

What steps might be possible, I will tell you, I told the governors today that in early March we issued guidance for health care workers saying that they could return to work even if they've been exposed to the Corona virus.

If they were a mass for 14 days today, we fully expect the Corona Virus Task Force to review recommendations for critical infrastructure workers, first responders, those that play a vital role in in public safety in the life of our communities.

We're gonna give guidance out of HHS and D.

H s today about how those workers, even if they've been exposed to someone with Corona virus as long as they don't have symptoms, would be able to return to work immediately, where a mass for two weeks but otherwise returned to the important role that they play in all our communities.

I'm confident that the Senate can reach a stimulus steel.

I think this is a very inspiring time across America.

You see people coming together as never before in my lifetime.

I mean, the American people are rising to the occasion.

It's time for the United States Senate to do the same.

Care Act will provide direct support to working families.

The average family of four could receive up to $3000 in a direct payment.

They'll be payroll support for businesses for several months that have been impacted.

By this.

They'll be unemployment insurance support.

As we see the unemployment insurance rolls swell around the country, President Trump and I absolutely believe with sake of American workers, for the sake of our economy.

For the sake of seeing our country through the Corona, the Senate and the House must act to pass the Care Act passed Care Act this week.