Eye, a virus that appeared at the other corner of the world has become a pandemic, killing across the world, including here in europe. From one day to the next. Life styles have changed. Weve seen the shelves empty. Weve seen the doors closed and weve moved from a daily routine to a fight for our life. At the moment, weve seen the way in which we have become so fragile and sus speceptiblsusce weve seen a tragedy in europe a scale unimaginable just a few weeks ago and my heart goes out to all of those victims and all of their families. And wed like to pass on our best wishes for those who are fighting for their lives at this very point in time or who are ill and at home. But if the virus is hitting us hard, european citizens are just as resilient and i would like to pay tribute to those men and women who are leading that battle. Im thinking of the nurses, the doctors, and the people who are helping to care for people in italy and spain, across europe, who have run towards danger without asking a question. These heroes who are risking everything, every single day, to save our parents, to save our grandparents, to save our friends, our colleagues, and neighbors, people they dont know. Europe owes you a massive debt of gratitude. For those who fill the shelves, who empty the bins for those who help in education, people who drive lories, who do cleaning work and bakers, all of those who help our world to turn, europe owes you all a massive debt of gratitude. This fight is that every single one of us has a role to play, every single one of us can help repay that debt by keeping our distance, we can slow down the spread of the virus. The numbers in the last two days have shown that we can bend the trend, but only if we all do our share. Yes, it is painful to stay away from our family, especially when were worried about the physical and the mental health. And yes, it is painful for those for whom home is not a happy or a safe place to be. It is painful for those who have plans put on hold or things they work so hard for cast into doubt. This is why i am convinced that while we may be sitting further apart than usual, we must work closer together than ever before. We must look out for each other. We must full each other through this because if theres one thing that is more contagious than this virus, it is love and compassion. And in the face of adversity, the people of europe are showing how strong that can be. Small acts of kindness, compassion, solidarity, are helping to spread hope through all europe. From volunteering to balcony singing, from sending postcards to the lonely, to shopping for the elderly, from offering beds for free, to restaurants donating their food. From luxury perfumers and vodka producers making sanitizing gel, to car makers and fashion house producing masks, this is the example that the European Union must follow. By each doing our little bit, we can truly help each other a lot. And our role as europes institutions, policy makers, and leaders is to show that same trust, that same unity and that same leadership. We all share this responsibility. None of us can do it alone, and certainly no member state can handle this crisis on their own. And because in this crisis and in our union more generally, it is only by helping each other that we can help ourselves. Of the stories from the last few weeks, its hardly a painful one to tell. When europe really needed to be there for each other, too many initially looked out for themselves. When europe really needed an all for one spirit, too many initially gave only for me response. And when europe really needed to prove that this is not only a fairweather union, too many initially refused to share their umbrella, but it was not long before some felt the consequences of their own incoordinated action. And this is why over the last few weeks we took exceptional and extraordinary measures to coordinate and take the action that is needed. Since then, things are improving and Member States are starting to help each other to help themselves. Europe is now really stepping up, but the people of europe are watching what happens next. And we all know what is at stake. What we do now measures for today, as well as for the future, honorable members, the outbreak of the coronavirus is first and foremost a Public Health emergency that will stop at nothing to save lives. To do that, we are lucky to have and to be able to rely on the best Health Care Professionals in the world. From milan to madrid and beyond, they are producing miracles every single day. But as we have seen, both there and elsewhere, the scale of the outbreak is stretching them to the breaking point. They urgently need equipment, the right equipment. They need the right amount of it and they need it right now. But instead of that, what we saw was crucial equipment stuck in bottlenecks at borders for days. Why we joined, launched several joint procurement with Member States for testing kits, ventilators and protective equipment. 25 Member States joined the letter, and good news. Since tuesday we know that their demands or masks, gloves, goggles, faces shields can be matched by the producers. The first delivery should start in the coming weeks and because Knowledge Saves Lives in the pandemic, we set up a European Team of scientists, experts to up us come up with coordinated measures that we all can follow. I personally share these discussions twice a week. Doing so has only deepened my conviction that we will need to draw on all that makes us strong to get through this together and then to get back on our feet again. And we have no stronger as set for this our unique single market. A successful European Response can only be coordinated if our internal markets and are shared area works the way it should, a crisis without borders cannot be resolved by putting barriers between us. And yet, this is exactly the first reflex that many European Countries had. This simply makes no sense. Because theres not one Single Member state that can be its own needs when it comes to vital medical supplies and equipment. Not one. The Free Movement of goods and services is therefore our strongest and, frankly, our only asset to ensure supplies can go where they are needed most. It makes no sense that some countries unilaterally decided to stop exports to others in the internal market. This is why the commission intervened when a a number of countries block experts a protective equipment to italy. It is why we issued guidelines for border measures to protect health and key goods and essential services available. It is why we are calling for priority green lanes for transport of goods. These will ensure that crossing the border takes no more than 15 minutes, and they will help ensure that goods and supplies can go where they are needed and we all can avoid shortages. It pains me that we had to do this, but our court new approach is no bearing fruit. Enter the market is already functioning better, and we all welcome the news that hospitals in saxony took patience, in france are now bearing am being treated in luxembourg. This only goes to prove that it is only by helping each other that we can help ourselves. Honorable members, the whole set of measures that we have taken reflex the unprecedented situation we are all in. But as i said earlier, the people of europe are watching what happens next. And they of course want us to do everything we can to save as many lives as we can. But they are also thinking about the day after. They are thinking about job will they have to go back to. What will happen to their business and to their employers . What will happen to their savings and their mortgage . They would worry about their parents, their neighbors, their local community. They will know that their governments had to make difficult decisions to save lives, yes. But they will also remember who was there for them and who was not. And they will remember those that acted, and those who did not. And they will remember the decisions that we take today or those we will not. The point is that sometime soon there will be a day after, and our job is to make sure that on that day, the European Union is there for those that need it. What we do now really matters, and this is why we launched the Coronavirus Response investment initiative, to help direct 37 billion mitigate the impact of the crisis to save lives, jobs, and businesses. This is why we adopted the most flexible ever temporary rules on state aid to enable Member States to give a lifeline to their businesses. The first cases were approved in record time within a matter of hours, and this is why were the first time in our history we have activated the general escape clause and the stability and growth packed. That means Member States can use all the firepower they have two support those in work or those out of work, to support businesses, small and big, and to support people through these tough times. Translator ladies and gentlemen, this is the europe that are citizen should remember once this is over. This is a europe that is acting quickly because it feels as though everyone has pushed the pause button. This is the europe that is present, is acting for its citizens and Member States because they need it. This is the sympathetic ear, a europe expressing sympathy above all. This is a europe in a in a timf emergency which is resistant and asked in an unselfish matter. That is a europe i wish to see. This is exactly the kind of europe where our Founding Fathers and mothers, they founded europe in the ashes of the Second World War so we, as we created new nations, it was very painful to see how, if you only had National Interest and self interest in mind, how bad things could work out. It was important to forge unions with one another, mutual trust. And out of that mutual trust we have growth and strength, and those are the years which we have been following for decades. So we have this community which has been created in strength and in peace. And now today, keeping in mind this invisible enemy, these basic values of our union have been threatened. We have to be able to trust one another. We have to rely on one another. We have to help each other through these hard times, and at this moment its our biggest obligation to save lives, to save our way of living. But at this time in the future, and i hope it will be soon, there will be a day when we look to the future. And then at that time we have to Work Together to create that future, and then we will earn our lessons. We will make decisions as to what kind of European Union we want in the future. And when we do so, then we should not be listening to the false debates as to whether we need more or less in europe. No, rather, we should be focusing on how we can use this experience to ensure that we managed the next crisis in an even better fashion. Because to have a resistant and europe, this of course affects all of us, whether north and south east or west, and we all have to be aware of the fact that the decisions that we make today they are going to be recalled and remembered for decades. And the very basis of European Union is going to be determined by the decisions we make now. So we are at a turning point. If we are going to simply let this virus divide us, between wealthy and poor, or are we going to end up with a stronger continent, an important global player, perhaps from the situation we can emerge stronger and better. Perhaps keeping in mind this crisis, perhaps we will become closer as communities, and perhaps people will respect democracy even more. And if you look at all of the kind acts, the acts of love, the acts of human decency throughout europe, when you look at those we have reasons to be confident for our future. Our europe has everything necessary available to it, and we are willing to take every action to master this crisis here members, in these recent days, many of you have called what john renee said about europe and i think this applies today. But theres another quotation, and this is a different founding father, which in my opinion actually summarizes where we stand today. Conrad on our conrad ought never said that history is that some of those things that you could have avoided. That is his quotation. Dear friends, history is looking at us at this moment, so lets Work Together and do the right thing, take the right action with a heart, one large heart and not 27 small hearts. Long live europe. [applause] this weekend on booktv, saturday at 8 30 p. M. Eastern in her book recollections of my nonexistence, author rebecca psalm that recounts her journey to becoming a writer in feminist. I remember at a certain point why wasnt i political when i was young and realizing to be political come at you feel like if something in common with other people and that you had power. I started out with neither of those things and obviously have ended up with plenty of both. Then on sunday on after words to me somewhat struggling with an addiction also struggling with very bleak conditions in the life, maybe they were homeless and struggle with a Mental Illness that was untreated, they were someone i would see on the site of the road, living under a bridge, panhandling on the subway and i was very wrong. Although addiction hits hard in those communities that are also plenty of people at the top of the socioeconomic ladder struggling as well. Watch booktv this weekend on cspan2. The houses work on a coronavirus aid package. Heres a tweet from cspans capital producer craig caplan. Majority leader steny hoyer asked for the house to agree to debate for three hours equally divided. The set up as relief bill. Its approved without objection debate began at about nine eastern in the house. We have this tweet from the bubble concocts when peter king of new york from earlier this morning heading to washington to vote on pandemic legislation because of one member of congress refusing to allow Emergency Action entire Congress Must be called to vote inhouse. Risk of infection and risk of legislation