WEBVTT - https://subtitletools.com 00:00:00.611 --> 00:00:04.959 I want to begin by thanking the thousands of DHS employees and 00:00:04.969 --> 00:00:08.368 contractors for their tireless work preparing the United States for 00:00:08.368 --> 00:00:13.052 COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus. This includes those on the 00:00:13.052 --> 00:00:16.661 frontlines of our operations, those working behind the scenes on 00:00:16.661 --> 00:00:20.391 preparedness and planning, and those making sure that our workforce remains 00:00:20.391 --> 00:00:25.019 safe so that you can continue to protect the Homeland. Thanks to their efforts 00:00:25.019 --> 00:00:29.159 at air, land, and sea ports, DHS, working alongside our interagency 00:00:29.159 --> 00:00:33.305 partners, was successfully able to keep the virus out of the homeland for an 00:00:33.305 --> 00:00:37.399 initial period to buy federal, state, and local public health systems more 00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:41.897 time to prepare. We have taken numerous protective and cautionary measures to 00:00:41.897 --> 00:00:45.871 ensure the health and safety of our workforce, the American people, and 00:00:45.871 --> 00:00:49.811 global travelers and you can be assured that we will continue to do so. The 00:00:49.811 --> 00:00:53.101 work that the President’s Task Force is accomplishing every day is 00:00:53.101 --> 00:00:57.267 remarkable. As a member of the Task Force, the Department has a seat at the 00:00:57.267 --> 00:01:01.122 table where key decisions are debated and finalized. This includes a 00:01:01.122 --> 00:01:04.937 significant role in working with the airline and cruise line industries as 00:01:04.937 --> 00:01:08.749 their operations are altered or suspended in order to mitigate the 00:01:08.749 --> 00:01:13.054 community spread of the disease through a common-sense approach. This past 00:01:13.054 --> 00:01:16.827 Friday, President Trump declared a National Emergency which moves us into 00:01:16.827 --> 00:01:20.729 a new phase of the fight. In addition to the medical and economic relief 00:01:20.729 --> 00:01:24.743 measures the President announced, this action also initiates activities for 00:01:24.743 --> 00:01:29.292 FEMA, as state, territorial, tribal, and local government entities and 00:01:29.292 --> 00:01:33.022 certain non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for Public 00:01:33.022 --> 00:01:36.959 Assistance. This includes emergency protective measures such as the 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:40.362 activation of State Emergency Operations Centers, National Guard 00:01:40.362 --> 00:01:44.667 costs, law enforcement, among other critical support functions. This 00:01:44.667 --> 00:01:48.403 announcement and FEMA’s enhanced role increases federal support to the 00:01:48.403 --> 00:01:52.669 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in its role as the lead federal 00:01:52.669 --> 00:01:57.046 agency for the federal government’s response to coronavirus. In the days 00:01:57.046 --> 00:02:00.936 ahead, I will be sharing additional information on ways all elements of the 00:02:00.936 --> 00:02:04.437 Department are supporting the American people through this difficult and 00:02:04.437 --> 00:02:08.667 challenging time. While I know that you are receiving a steady flow of information 00:02:08.667 --> 00:02:13.580 from the Department's Chief Human Capital, Officer, Management and component leadership 00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:18.046 on this topic, you can also be assured that myself and other senior leadership are 00:02:18.046 --> 00:02:21.975 working around the clock to ensure our workforce remains protected and ready 00:02:21.975 --> 00:02:25.397 to secure the Homeland. The Department’s Chief Medical Officer, 00:02:25.397 --> 00:02:28.152 and his staff continue to closely coordinate with medical 00:02:28.152 --> 00:02:32.246 professionals at HHS and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and we will 00:02:32.246 --> 00:02:35.937 continue to adjust and evolve our measures, both to protect the American 00:02:35.937 --> 00:02:40.298 people, as well as our employees, as needed. The unknown nature of this 00:02:40.298 --> 00:02:45.456 virus can be concerning. And as a father, husband, and son, I sympathize with and 00:02:45.456 --> 00:02:49.064 understand the concerns many of you have about the well-being of your loved 00:02:49.064 --> 00:02:53.405 ones of all ages. As you’ve likely heard the Vice President and health 00:02:53.405 --> 00:02:57.348 officials say in recent days, there are simple steps the CDC recommend you 00:02:57.348 --> 00:03:00.951 follow to protect yourself and others, including frequent handwashing, 00:03:00.951 --> 00:03:04.595 avoiding close contact with people who are sick, and disinfecting 00:03:04.595 --> 00:03:08.539 frequently-touched surfaces daily. As the leader of this Department, my 00:03:08.539 --> 00:03:12.161 biggest commitment is to you. My heart goes out to the handful of DHS 00:03:12.161 --> 00:03:16.339 employees who have recently tested positive for coronavirus and others who 00:03:16.339 --> 00:03:21.204 have been self-quarantined. Many of these individuals have lead by example and 00:03:21.204 --> 00:03:24.943 heeded the advice of our medical professionals—they have stayed home when 00:03:24.943 --> 00:03:28.594 they felt sick, they immediately contacted their primary care doctor, 00:03:28.594 --> 00:03:32.403 they self-quarantined, and reported their condition. This is 00:03:32.403 --> 00:03:35.681 exactly the kind of professionalism and leadership that I am proud to say 00:03:35.681 --> 00:03:40.623 exists across our entire workforce. I hope you’ll join me in thanking them 00:03:40.623 --> 00:03:44.125 for their leadership and service. We keep them in our thoughts and prayers 00:03:44.125 --> 00:03:48.188 for a speedy recovery. The DHS workforce remains the Department’s 00:03:48.188 --> 00:03:52.781 most valuable asset and your health and security are priority number one for me 00:03:52.781 --> 00:03:56.754 and senior leadership. With this in mind, I have asked all office and 00:03:56.754 --> 00:04:00.488 component heads to determine the best way to implement a broad-based telework 00:04:00.488 --> 00:04:04.954 strategy while still maintaining departmental functionality. As you may 00:04:04.954 --> 00:04:08.607 have seen over the weekend, this is consistent with the Office of Management 00:04:08.607 --> 00:04:12.658 and Budget and Office of Personnel Management’s most recent guidance. 00:04:12.658 --> 00:04:15.865 We all certainly play a role in this mission. As members of the 00:04:15.865 --> 00:04:19.110 Department, we each have a responsibility to be informed and 00:04:19.110 --> 00:04:23.292 knowledgeable about the virus. I encourage you to visit the DHS Chief 00:04:23.292 --> 00:04:27.640 Human Capital Officer’s DHS Connect site where you will find coronavirus 00:04:27.640 --> 00:04:31.788 Workforce Information. Please take the time to become familiar with this very 00:04:31.788 --> 00:04:36.384 important information supplied by the CDC and our federal partners. To access 00:04:36.384 --> 00:04:41.458 information for the general public, please visit coronavirus.gov. While DHS 00:04:41.458 --> 00:04:45.554 is working to limit and manage the spread of coronavirus, I ask that you 00:04:45.554 --> 00:04:49.812 remain vigilant and self-report when you or others are ill. As the situation 00:04:49.812 --> 00:04:53.664 evolves, I pledge to you that DHS will remain forward-leaning on protecting 00:04:53.664 --> 00:04:57.719 our employees by providing real-time information and clear guidance on 00:04:57.719 --> 00:05:01.417 mitigation and safety measures. It is at these critical times that I am in 00:05:01.417 --> 00:05:05.880 awe of the men and women who stand watch to secure our homeland. The 00:05:05.880 --> 00:05:09.366 Department will continue to communicate at all levels as this situation 00:05:09.366 --> 00:05:13.682 evolves. Thank you for what you do every day to protect the American people.