>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ACCOMPANIED BY DR. FRANCIS COLLINS AND DR. ANTHONY FAUCI. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, FOLKS. I HAD A LITTLE DISCUSSION WITH MY FRIENDS BEHIND ME, DR. COLLINS AND DR. FAUCI WHETHER I SHOULD TAKE MY MASK OFF AND THOUGH WE'RE MORE THAN 10 FEET AWAY IT'S IMPORTANT I DON'T AND I REALIZE I'M SPEAKING TO A VAST MAJORITY, AT LEAST I HOPE I AM OF FOLKS AT NIH. YOU KNOW WEARING THIS MASK THROUGH THE NEXT YEAR HERE CAN SAVE LIVES, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF LIVES. AND SO I APOLOGIZE IF YOU DON'T HEAR ME AS CLEARLY AS MAYBE YOU SHOULD. LET ME START OFF BY THANKING DR. COLLINS AND DR. FAUCI FOR MOSTING ME TODAY. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH DR. COLLINS ON THE CANCER INSTITUTE MATTERS AND I SAID HE'D BE THE FIRST PERSON I'D CALL TO ASK TO SAY AND I REMEMBERED I CALLED DR. FAUCI AND SAID WOULD YOU STAY IF I CAME SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR STAYING. OUR NATION IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU IN THESE CRITICAL ROLES. THAT GOES FOR THE WORLD CLASS, DOCTORS, SCIENCE TESTS, RESEARCHERS -- SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS AT HIN AND TOURED THE RESEARCH CENTER. IT'S INCREDIBLE. IT'S A PLACE TO GO WHERE YOU ARE TOP MINDS SPEND YEARS RESEARCHING VACCINES AND TREATMENTS AND ALL KINDS OF VIRUSES AND IN PART WITH AM -- ACADEMIA AND DERIVATIVE TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ONES. THERE WILL BE OTHER, INFLUENZA, SARS, MRSA AND COVID-19. TO ALL THE WORK MADE POSSIBLE THE REMARKABLY RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF COVID-19 VACCINES WE HAVE TODAY. IT'S INCREDIBLE. INITIALLY PEOPLE WERE TALKING YEARS IF NOT DECADES BEFORE WE'D HAVE A VACCINE. ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION, AND I DON'T SAY THAT LIGHTLY, ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES FOR YOUR WORK AND SACRIFICE FOR THERE'S NO DOUBT YOUR FAMILIES SACRIFICED A GREAT DEAL FOR THE ENDLESS HOURS YOU'VE PUT IN AND I KNOW AND THE LOSS OF LIFE AND LIVELIHOOD HASN'T SPARED THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY AND LABS CLOSED AND RESEARCH DELAYED AND CAREERS DISRUPTED. EVERY MOMENT THE PAST YEAR YOU AND ALL THE HEROES AND HERE -- HEROINES REMIND US WHO WE ARE, AMERICANS. WE NEVER GIVE UP AND NEVER GIVE UP AND WE FIND THE ANSWER. THAT'S WHAT ALL OF DO YOU HERE. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY REPURPOSED LIVES TO WORK ON COVID-19, DEVELOP THERAPEUTICS, NEW DIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGIES AND VACCINES IN RECORD TIME. AND HIGHLIGHTING LESS VONS LEARNED ON THE -- LESSONS LEARNED AND REAL TIME DATA SHARING AND MOST OF ALL SPEED AND EFFICIENCY WITHOUT COMPROMISING SCIENCE AND GOOD [INDISCERNIBLE]. LOOK, YOU'RE AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE. I'M BEEN OUT HERE MANY TIMES WHO TRIED TO HELP MY SON WHO PASSED AWAY OF CANCER AND YOU'RE AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF PEOPLE. WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. IT'S NO SECRET THE VACCINATION PROGRAM WAS IN MUCH WORSE SHAPE THAN MY TEAM AND AN ANTICIPATED. WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION AND WERE TOLD WE HAD MORE RESOURCES THAN WE DID WHEN WE CAME INTO OFFICE. WE'VE ONLY BEEN HERE THREE WEEKS BUT WE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL IN THOSE THREE WEEKS. WHILE SCIENTISTS DID THEIR JOB IN DISCOVERING VACCINES MY PREDECESSOR, TO BE BLUNT, DID NOT DO HIS JOB IN GETTING READY FOR THE MASSIVE CHALLENGE OF VACCINATING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS AMERICANS. HE DIDN'T ORDER ENOUGH VACCINES AND SET UP CENTERS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO GET THEIR SHOTS. WHEN I BECAME PRESIDENT THREE WEEKS AGO, AMERICA HAD NO PLAN TO VACCINATE MOST THE COUNTRY. IT WAS A BIG MESS. IT WILL TAKE TIME TO FIX TO BE BLUNT WITH YOU. I PROPOSITIONED -- PROPOSITIONED I'D BE STRAIGHT WITH YOU, I WILL NOT WALK AWAY WHEN WE MAKE A MISTAKE, I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND TELL YOU THE TRUTH. WE STARTED ON DAY ONE. WE'RE GOING FIX IT. FIRST, THE VACCINE. I KNOW PEOPLE WANT CONFIDENCE THAT ITS SAFE. LISTEN TO DR. FAUCI, I DID. I GOT MY SHOTS AND MY WIFE DID AND KAMALA AND DR. FAUCI AND DR. COLLINS GOT IT ALSO. IT'S SAFE. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED TO BEAT THE PANDEMIC. THAT'S WHY IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE WE INCREASED THE SUPPLY OF VACCINE SHIPMENT TO THE STATE BY ALMOST 30%. THAT MEANS MILLIONS MORE AMERICANS WILL GET VACCINATED IN FEBRUARY THAN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION IS ON TRACK TO DO. THAT'S JUST THE START. WE BOUGHT MORE VACCINES. TWO WEEKS AGO I DIRECTED MY COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO PURCHASE MORE VACCINES. THIS AFTERNOON WE SIGNED THE FINE CONTRACTS FOR 100 MILLION MORE MODERNA AND 100 MILLION MORE PFIZER VACCINES. WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO MOVE UP THE DELIVERY DATES WITH AN ADDITIONAL 2 MILLION VACCINES TO THEN OF THE MONTH AND WE'RE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO EXPEDITE DELIVERY OF 100 MILLION DOSES THAT WERE PROMISED BY THE END OF JUNE TO BE DELIVERED BY THE END OF MAY. THAT'S A MONTH FASTER. THAT MEANS LIVES WILL BE SAVED. WE ARE NOW ON TRACK TO HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLY FOR 300 MILLION AMERICANS BY THE END OF JULY. IT MAY NOT SOUND LIKE THE URGENT PROGRESS WE NEED BUT LET'S BE CLEAR, WHEN I TOOK OFFICE JUST THREE WEEKS AGO THIS COUNTRY DID NOT HAVE A PLAN OR ENOUGH VACCINES OR PEOPLE TO VACCINATE AMERICANS. ANY AND ALL AMERICANS AT ANY POINT IN 2021. WITHIN THE THREES, AROUND THE CLOCK WORK WITH SO MANY PEOPLE STANDING IN FRONT OF ME AND BEHIND ME WE NOW PURCHASED ENOUGH TO SUPPLY ALL AMERICANS AND NOW WORKING TO GET THEM IN THE ARMS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. IN JUST THREE WEEKS WE'VE DEPLOYED OVER 1,000 FEDERAL STAFF TO VACCINATION SITES AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE'RE HELPING GIVE SHOTS AND SET UP AND SPEED UP VACCINATION OPERATIONS. TO DATE WE ALSO PROVIDED $3 BILLION TO 37 STATES AND TERRITORIES AND TRIBES TO BOLSTER EXISTING VACCINATION CENTERS AND CREATE MORE OF THE CENTERS TO ADMINISTER THE VACCINE. FOR EXAMPLE, THREE DAYS AGO VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND I HAD A VIRTUAL TOUR OF A FEDERALLY SUPPORTED VACCINE CENTER IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE PARKING LOT OF GLENDALE, ARIZONA. IT'S OPEN 24/7. FOLKS CAN CALL OR SIGN UP ONLINE BY APPOINTMENT AND LITERALLY DRIVE IN, STAY IN THEIR CARS, GET A SHOT, GET A CARD AND SCHEDULE THE NEXT SHOT IT'S 30 MINUTES START TO FINISH. IN THREE WEEKS WE'VE ADMINISTERED 160,000 DOSES AVERAGING 8,000 VACCINATIONS DAY AND NIGHT. LOOK, IT'S COORDINATION BETWEEN STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIP IS ESSENTIAL. ONE OF THE NURSES IN A COORDINATED EFFORT IN ARIZONA SAID THE WORK WAS LIKE ADMINISTERING, AND I LOVE THE PHRASE, DOC, LIKE ADMINISTERING A DOSE OF HOPE. A DOSE OF HOPE. WE'RE GOING GET THOSE DOSES OF HOPE OUT AT NEW AND LARGE SCALE VACCINATIONS CENTERS THAT WERE SET UP BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND WE GOT A CALL FROM THE NFL, THE COMMISSIONER OF FOOTBALL SAID WE CAN HAVE SATISFACTION -- ACCESS TO ALL PO -- 30 NFL FACILITIES AND WE SET UP SITES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS WITH MORE TO COME. WE'LL TRY TO TARGET AREAS HARDEST HIT AND STAFFED BY OUR MILITARY, THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, FEMA. SAME PEOPLE THAT RESPOND TO HURRICANES AND THE LIKE AND OTHER EXPERTS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND DEPARTMENT OF AGGREGATE TO GET VACCINATORS TO MAKE SURE IT GETS IN PEOPLE'S ARM. WHEN I GOT TO FEDERAL OFFICE THERE WAS NO PLAN TO SHIP DIRECTLY TO LOCAL PHARMACIES. FOLKS WERE ALLOWED TO GET VACCINATION UNDER THE STATE RULES AS ALLOCATION OF TWO GETS IN LINE ARE ALLOWED TO GET ONE AND CAN SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT NOW AND GET COVID-19 VACCINE SHOTS LIKE THEY WOULD A FLU SHOT FROM THEIR FARM SPIN THAT WILL START -- PHARMACY. THAT WILL START TODAY, THAT PROGRAM. FOR FOLKS WHO CAN'T GET TO THE PHARMACY WE'RE DEPLOYING MOBILE UNITS AND SENDING VACCINES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER TO TAKE CARE OF THE POOREST OFF THE POOR AND REACH THE HARDEST HIT AND MOST UNDER SERVED AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, BLACK, LATINO AND RURAL COMMUNITIES. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO ENSURE RACIAL EQUITY REMAINS AT THE CENTER OF OUR COVID-19 RESPONSE. THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW DR. COLLINS AND DR. FAUCI ARE FOCUSED ON AS WELL. THE OTHER POINT OF PROGRESS IS THERE'S MORE VACCINATORS. WE'RE ALLOWING RETIRED DOCTORS AND NURSE TO COME BACK AND ADMINISTER SHOTS AND DEPLOYING VACCINATORS AND OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS WE PUT HUNDREDS OF NEW VACCINATORS IN THE FIELD AND ARE LINING UP THOUSANDS MORE. THESE INCLUDE MEDICAL PERSONNEL FROM OUR COMMISSION CORPS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUM HUMAN SERVICES AND FROM FEMA AND DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND MORE DEPARTMENTS TO COME. ALL TOLD WE'RE ON TRACK TO SURPASS THE GOAL I SET ON DAY ONE WHEN I WAS IMPORTANT IN I INDICATED BEFORE I WAS SWORN IN I INDICATED MY HOPE WAS TO ADMINISTER 100 MILLION SHOTS IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF OUR TERM. I BELIEVE WE'RE NOT ONLY REACH THAT BUT BREAK THAT. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THAT'S JUST THE FLOOR. OUR END GOAL IS BEATING COVID-19 WHICH BRINGS US TO THE CHALLENGE THAT REMAINS. REREMAIN -- WE REMAIN IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC. WE'VE LOST 100,000 MORE FELLOW CITIZENS. WE'RE ON TRACK TO CROSS 500,000 DEAD AMERICANS THIS NEXT MONTH. THE NEW STRAINS EMERGING CREATE IMMENSE CHALLENGES AND MASKING IS STILL THE EASIEST THING TO DO TO SAVE LIVES BUT WE NEED EVERYONE TO MASK UP. AND BY THE WAY, I KNOW IT'S A PAIN IN THE NECK BUT IT'S A PATRIOTIC RESPONSIBILITY. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR WITH THIS VIRUS. IT'S A PATRIOTIC RESPONSIBILITY. NOT ONLY IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY, BUT YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS. DO YOU REALIZE MORE PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS THAN DIED IN ALL FOUR YEARS IN WORLD WAR II. THAT'S WHY I ASK WHY THE FULL EXTENT OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE PRESIDENT COULD BE AND SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REQUIRE MASKS ON PLANES, TRAINS AND ALL MODES OF TRAVEL AND CALLING ON MAYORS AND REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT AND LOCAL OFFICIALS TO MANDATE MASKS IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS. WE NEED EVERYONE TO DO THEIR PART FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR LOVED ONES AND THEIR COUNTRY. MASK UP, AMERICA. MASK UP AND TO REALLY GET AHEAD OF THE PANDEMIC INSTEAD OF CHASING IT WE NEED CONSIDERATION TO PASS THE RESCUE AMERICA PLAN. I'M GRATEFUL THE SENATE AND HOUSE ARE MOVING QUICKLY AND MY HOPE IS WE'LL GET REPUBLICANS AS WELL AS DEMOCRATS TO SUPPORT US AND WE CAN'T WAIT. PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERY MINUTE FROM THIS PANDEMIC. WE'RE SUFFERING PROFOUND ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS CREATED. EVERY MAJOR ECONOMIST IN THE COUNTRY, LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTER SAYS WE CAN'T GO BIG ENOUGH HERE. IF WE WANT TO GET OUR ECONOMY BACK IN SHAPE, WE HAVE TO MOVE QUICKLY. HOW MANY OF YOU OUT THERE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOOD TO EAT? HOW MANY OUT THERE ARE WORRYING WHETHER YOU CAN PAY NEXT MONTH'S RENT OR PAY YOUR MORTGAGE? HOW MANY OF YOU OUT THERE HAVE A JOB THE HOME BECAUSE SCHOOL'S NOT OPEN AND HAVE TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT CHOICE TO STAYING HOME WITH OUR CHILD OR GOING TO WORK IF YOU HAVE A JOB? IT'S NOT WHO WE ARE. IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN. JOB NUMBER ONE OF THE RESCUE PLAN IS FIGHTING THE PANDEMIC. IT PUTS $160 BILLION IN OUR NATIONAL COVID STRATEGY FOR MORE MONEY FOR TESTING AND MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION AND SETTING UP VACCINATION SITES. EVERYTHING NEEDED TO GET NEEDLES IN PEOPLE'S ARMS AND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN INCLUDES $4 BILLION TO BRING A NEW MANUFACTURING PLANT SO WE ARE READY TO MANUFACTURE VACCINES AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT. THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN GETTING THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO GET VACCINATE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET OUR ECONOMY BACK IN SHAPE AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE BACK TO WORK UNTIL WE BEAT THIS VIRUS. AS I SAID, EVERYONE FROM MOODY'S ON WALL STREET TO A RANGE OF OTHER THINK TANKS INDICATES IF WE DO THIS PLAN WE'LL GET TO FULL EMPLOYMENT WITHIN TWO YEARS. WE'LL BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ACTUALLY GROW THE ECONOMY, CREATING MILLIONS IN JOBS IMMEDIATELY AND PUTTING US IN A POSITION WHERE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE GDP GROWTH AT A HIGHER RATE THAN IF WE DON'T DO THIS. WE'RE IN A NATIONAL EMERGENCY. I WANT TO CLOSE WITH THIS, WE'RE IN A NATIONAL EMERGENCY. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES WE'VE OF UNDERTAKEN AS A NATION. IT'S GOING TAKE TIME. WE'RE GOING FACE SETBACKS ALONG THE WAY AND A PROMISE WHEN DO I'LL OWN UP AND SAY WHAT THEY ARE. WE HAVE TO STAY VIGILANT AND STAY FOCUSSED. FOR GOD'S SAKES, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WHO WE ARE. WE'RE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WE HAVE TOE RESOURCES. WE JUST TO CHOOSE TO USE THEM. WE HAVE TO DO WHAT ALL OF YOU DO HERE HERE AT NIH AND ACROSS THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. KEEP THE FAITH WITH PURPOSE, VISION AND WITH EVERY DOSE OF HOPE WE HAVE. FOLKS, REMEMBER LIKE I SAID, THIS IS AMERICA. WE HAVE NEVER NEVER FAILED. WE'VE DECIDED TO STAND TOGETHER AND ACT TOGETHER. THAT'S WHO WE ARE. THAT'S NOT CHAUFINISM. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND DOCTORS FIGHTING TO SAVE OUR LIVES AND MAY GOD PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. WE HAVE THE BEST OF THE NATION TO OFFER. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.