唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)在周三向美国发表讲话时谈到冠状病毒爆发时称其行动“有力,但有必要”,并宣布了针对欧洲国家进入美国的新旅行限制。
特朗普说:“为了防止新的[冠状病毒]病例进入我们的海岸,我们将在未来30天内中止从欧洲到美国的所有旅行。” “新规定将于周五午夜生效。”
经过适当筛检冠状病毒的进入美国的美国人将不受新规定的约束。联合王国以及与贸易有关的货物和物品也不受新政策的限制。
《新闻周刊》已向欧盟理事会征求意见,但没有及时得到答复以将其发表。
特朗普还在周三的讲话中宣布,他将要求国会批准一系列紧急经济政策,以协助受冠状病毒感染的美国人。特朗普提出的建议中有500亿美元分配给小企业管理局(SBA)。
特朗普说:“我正在指示小型企业管理局行使现有权力,为受冠状病毒影响的公司提供资金和流动性。” “立即生效,SBA将开始在受影响的州和地区提供经济贷款。”
特朗普继续说:“这些低息贷款将帮助小型企业克服由病毒引起的暂时性经济中断。” “为此,我要求国会增加对该计划的资金,再增加500亿美元。”
SBA目前提供担保商业贷款,灾后恢复贷款,以及为寻求与美国政府签约的小型企业提供帮助。
众议院民主党人已经表示,白宫关于缓解冠状病毒的一些经济建议还远远不够,包括特朗普削减工资税的计划。
由于工资税为医疗保险和社会保障提供资金,因此一些民主党人将特朗普的提议视为使公司得以发展,而不是受冠状病毒影响的需要援助的个人。
参议院少数党领袖查克·舒默(Chuck Schumer)周三表示:“我们认为,援助应该针对的不是企业界的人。我们认为援助应该针对遭受这种冠状病毒问题的人。” “我们认为他们不应该只是从飞机上扔钱,而是希望其中一些钱落在受影响的人们身上。”
《新闻周刊》已联系舒默办公室以征求评论,但未及时收到回应以将其发表。
众议院民主党人周三发布了自己的冠状病毒经济救助计划,其中包括对联邦保险或担保抵押和学生贷款的六个月宽容。提案中还包括对小型企业的直接赠款,“以帮助弥补失去的企业的成本,提供带薪病假等。” 民主党人正在敦促星期四投票,尽管有关该计划的消息尚未得到证实。
特朗普在星期三的讲话中还敦促美国人在COVID-19爆发期间团结起来,说:“我们在一起。我们必须抛弃政治,停止党派关系,并团结在一起成为一个国家和一个家庭。”
Calling the actions "strong but necessary," President Donald Trump announced new travel restrictions for European nations into the U.S. as he spoke about the coronavirus outbreak in an address to the nation on Wednesday.
"To keep new [coronavirus] cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days," Trump said. "The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight."
Americans coming into the U.S. who have been appropriately screened for coronavirus will not be subject to the new rules. The United Kingdom is also exempt from the new policies, as are cargo and items related to trade.
Newsweek reached out to the European Council for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Trump also announced during the Wednesday address that he would be asking Congress to approve a bevy of emergency economic policies to assist Americans who have been affected by coronavirus. Among the proposals suggested by Trump were an additional $50 billion allocated to the Small Business Administration (SBA).
"I am instructing the Small Business Administration to exercise available authority to provide capital and liquidity to firms affected by the coronavirus," Trump said. "Effective immediately, the SBA will begin providing economic loans in affected states and territories."
"These low-interest loans will help small businesses overcome temporary economic disruptions caused by the virus," Trump continued. "To this end, I am asking Congress to increase funding to this program by an additional 50 billion dollars."
The SBA currently offers guaranteed business loans, recovery loans after disasters and assistance to small businesses seeking to do contract work for the U.S. government.
House Democrats have already said that some of the White House's economic proposals for coronavirus relief were not far-reaching enough, including Trump's plan to cut payroll taxes.
Because payroll taxes fund Medicare and Social Security, some Democrats perceived Trump's proposal as enabling corporations instead of individuals affected by coronavirus that need assistance.
"We believe the help should be aimed at people not at corporations. We believe the help should be targeted at the people who have suffered from this coronavirus problem," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday. "We don't think they should just throw money out of an airplane and hope some of it lands on the people who are affected."
Newsweek reached out to Schumer's office for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
House Democrats released their own version of a coronavirus economic relief plan Wednesday, which included a six-month forbearance on federally insured or guaranteed mortgages and student loans. Also included in the proposal were direct grants for small businesses "to help cover the cost of lost business, providing paid sick leave, and more." Democrats are pushing for a vote on Thursday, though nothing has been confirmed regarding the plan.
In his Wednesday address, Trump also urged Americans unite amid the COVID-19 outbreak, saying, "We are all in this together. We must put politics aside, stop the partisanship, and unify together as one nation and one family."