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   https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-   
   president-trump-vice-president-pence-members-coronavirus-task-force-press-   
   briefing-31/   
      
   James S. Brady Press Briefing Room   
      
   5:48 P.M. EDT   
      
   THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Later this evening, we expect the   
   House to pass the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement   
   Act.  I’m grateful that Congress is answering my call to deliver these   
   additional $320 billion in relief for the American worker and for small   
   businesses.   
      
   At a time when many Americans are enduring significant economic   
   challenges, this bill will help small businesses to keep millions of   
   workers on the payroll.  You see states are starting to open up now, and   
   it’s very exciting to see.  I think it’s very awe-inspiring.  We’re coming   
   out of it, and we’re coming out of it well.   
      
   And we’re — really, I’m very happy the governors have been — the   
   governors, really, have been doing a really good job working with us, and   
   it’s — it’s, really, pretty impressive to see.  I’ve spoken to numerous   
   leaders of countries over the last 48 hours, and they are saying we’re   
   leading the way.  We’re really leading the way in so many different ways.   
      
   I’m also very pleased that Harvard — as you know, it’s Harvard and   
   Stanford and Princeton and numerous other universities and colleges, and   
   also large businesses have sent funds back to us.  And in some cases, I   
   stopped funds that I looked at.  And we are pleased to report that the   
   funds have either not gone out or it’s about $350 million, and they’ve   
   either not gone out or we’ve renegotiated it and they’re not getting them.   
      
   So — and it’s — in a couple of cases, they’re sending them back and   
   sending them back immediately.  So I think it was very nice.  I want to   
   thank Harvard in particular.  They acted very quickly and decisively.  And   
   they agreed, when they heard the facts, that they should not be getting   
   it.  So we appreciate it very much from Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and   
   other institutions.   
      
   The bill also includes $30 billion to support small lending institutions   
   serving distressed communities, helping countless African American and   
   Hispanic American small businesses.   
      
   As we continue our battle against the virus, the data and facts on the   
   ground suggest that we’re making great progress.  In 23 states, new cases   
   have declined in the peak — week.  Forty percent of American counties have   
   also seen a rapid decline in new cases.  Forty-six states reported drop in   
   patients showing coronavirus-like symptoms.  That’s a big number.   
      
   To keep America gaining momentum, every citizen needs to maintain the   
   vigilance.  And we all understand that very well; we’ve gone over it many,   
   many times.  This includes practicing good hygiene, maintaining social   
   distance, and the voluntary use of face covering.   
      
   A safe and phased reopening of our economy — it’s very exciting, but it   
   does not mean that we are letting down our guard at all, in any way.  On   
   the contrary, continued diligence is an essential part of our strategy to   
   get our country back to work, to take our country back.  We’re winning   
   this, and we’re going to win it, and we’re going to keep watching.  We’re   
   going to watch very closely for the invisible enemy.   
      
   With each passing day, we’re learning more and more about this enemy.  The   
   scientists at DHS have released a report offering a number of insights   
   about how the virus reacts to different temperatures, climates, and   
   surfaces.  The findings confirm that the virus survives better in cold or   
   in drier environments and does less well in warmer and more humid   
   environments.   
      
   I have to say that, very excitingly, we’re going to have somebody up; Bill   
   will be up in just a little while.  It was a great report you gave.  And   
   he’s going to be talking about how the virus reacts in sunlight.  Wait   
   until you hear the numbers.  You won’t even believe them.   
      
   U.S. trials of the COVID-19 have been going on and have been approved in   
   the United States, Germany, UK, and China.  That’s big news.  And we’re —   
   a lot of trials are going on.  We have a lot of great, brilliant minds   
   working on this, both from the standpoint of a vaccine and therapeutics.   
      
   We must be careful in all conditions, but we will — we will get this done.   
   We’re very close to a vaccine.  Unfortunately, we’re not very close to   
   testing because when the testing starts, it takes a period of time.  But   
   we’ll get it done.   
      
   And I want to thank the head of DHS Science and Technology, Bill Bryan,   
   for what he’s going to be doing and what he’s going to be saying and the   
   report that he’s about to give.  I think it’s going to be something that   
   nobody has ever heard.  It’ll be brand-new information and very important   
   information.   
      
   My administration continues to leverage the Defense Production Act to   
   dramatically increase the manufacture and delivery of critical medical   
   supplies.  We finalized three contracts to produce 39 million more N95   
   masks in 90 days.  And as you know, we’re also using a sterilization   
   process.  Some great equipment that will sterilize the masks up to 20   
   times per mask.  So that’s like ordering 20 times more masks.  And it’s   
   working very well.   
      
   We just want the hospitals and the institutions, where it is, to use it.   
   A lot of people don’t use it.  They’re so used to getting a new mask, they   
   don’t want to use it.  They want to go and immediately get a new one.   
   We’re asking them to use the sterilization process.  Every bit as good —   
   up to 20 times.  Think of that.   
      
   In addition to ramping up our domestic assembly lines, we also have   
   airlifted nearly 750 million pieces of personal protective equipment into   
   the United States through our Project Airbridge, which has been an   
   incredible thing to watch.  It’s really a military operation.   
      
   The Vice President is now providing each governor with an exhaustive   
   count[y]-by-county breakdown of the privately distributed personal   
   protection.  And this is equipment and things that are incredible.  It’s   
   personal protective equipment.  It’s incredible, and it’s all brand new   
   and at the highest level.  We’re getting only the highest level.  And   
   also, we’re looking at essential gear within their states, and it’s being   
   delivered to different states quickly and as we speak.   
      
   This way, the governor should know exactly what’s being delivered through   
   a private-sector supply chain within their states, as well as through the   
   Project Airbridge.  We’re trying to get it immediately from the plane to   
   the state.  When we can’t do that, we bring it into our facilities and get   
   it to the governors.  And we’re getting them fast, and we’re notifying   
   them very strongly so they know it’s there.  Governors can use this   
   information to quickly ensure that they get materials where and when they   
      
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