GOVERNOR HONORS WAR DEAD AT USS INTREPID ON MEMORIAL DAY

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GOVERNOR CUOMO’S REMARKS ON MEMORIAL DAY THIS MORNING AT THE USS INTREPID IN NEW YORK CITY

WPCNR MEMORIAL DAY GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING. By John F. Bailey. May 25, 2020:

Governor Andrew M. Coumo  observed remembrance of America’s War Dead today in a ceremony held on the U.S.S. Intrepid in New York this morning.

As remembrance wreaths for cast into the waters off the deck of the Intrepid, the governor began his briefing coronavirus by quoting John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln, saying America honors its war dead:  “We honor them by growing stronger.”

He announced he would provide death beneifts for public workers: police, fire, transit workers, EMS workers, doctors, nurses, hospital workers who died of Covid-19 during this emergency.  He repeated his call for the federal government to provide hazard pay to those public workers who survived and continue to deal with the emergency.

The governor said he admired those workers “who were scared to death but went to work anyway.”

He said the decision  to ask them to work in the face of death “weighs heavy on me…I have such respect and esteem for what they did.” He said we should not just show what he called “pretty commercials,” but show your gratitude.’

In a short Question and answer period, the Governor said state  health personnel were aiding nursing homes across the state to test their workers twice a week to relieve the burden placed on the nursing home staff. The Governor also said all patients in the nursing homes were now being tested to isolate any that may test positive for corona virus going forward.

Queried on weather different numbers were determining what regions could open, Governor Cuomo said “This is not pick your numbers (to reopen). We know what we are doing (leading covid-spread indicator counts) on each day.”

Asked about congestion pricing coming about in New York City with traffic expected to increase with NY reopening when it happens, Governor Cuomo said “after multiple negotiations between the MTA and the federal government which owns roads leading into Manattan,” there has been no approval yet from the federal government to allow congestion pricing.

Asked about the state legislature deciding to return to Albany (after six weeks absence due to the Covid virus), the governor said that he has kept the Assembly and Senate informed on all he has done in managing the Covid crisis. He said he did know at this time, what they had in mind (spending to help New Yorkers suffering as a result of the Covid dictated shutdown has been announced by Senate Majority Leader Andrew Stewart Cousins and Assembly Leader Hastie who are convening a hearing Tuesday to discuss such issues).

The governor said any spending would result in higher cuts to Schools, Hospitals, and Cities and Counties, which now would mean 20% cuts across those three areas. The governor said he would like to spend more aid on food supply to citizens and relief for the Covid essential workers.

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