Ron Klain

I think that is a product of some bad decisions made at the CDC, and a lack of a real effort to accelerate testing around the country.

Leading the response shouldn't be your side gig.

I think that some kind of White House coordinator was needed.

I don't think they have been prepared for dealing with that, whether that is working with FEMA to temporarily ramp up capacity in those hospitals.

Congress deserves great credit for acting with unprecedented speed in funding this response.

there is no reason why other countries--South Korea--are so far ahead of us, 100,000-plus tests in South Korea, less than 5,000 in the United States.

The first responsibility of this government is to keep the American people safe.

President Obama launched a whole-of-government effort, he appointed me to lead a team at the White House to coordinate it.

There is no restriction on Americans going back and forth.

I certainly do not think so, Congressman Perry. I think the WHO is performing better now than it was during the Ebola response 5 years ago.

the only practical thing we can do is to monitor those who are coming here to this country, who are bringing medicines to this country, who are bringing goods.

First, before it was imposed, 300,000 people came here from China in the previous month.

What we need to do is to monitor the people who have been in China recently who are here in the U.S.

it is my studied opinion that we will never reduce that to zero due to trade and due to travel of Americans and Americans' family members.

I do not think so, Congressman. And, again, this is one reason why I think we need a high-level coordinator at the White House who can be in touch with foreign governments at other high levels.

We ought to be reaching out to them to see what we can do to help them.

this isn't a partisan issue, and I reiterate that this is not a partisan issue.

It is impossible, impossible to cutoff the flow of people from China to the United States.

I think H.R. 2166 is vital legislation. I hope this committee and the Congress will act on it, bipartisan as well, as it should be.

Epidemic response should not be a partisan issue. The coronavirus will certainly not ask anyone's political affiliation before infecting them.

We do not have a travel ban, we have a travel band-aid right now.

My claim is that he should have done it or should be doing it.

He was putting his fist on the scale for the American public. It was a lot more than a thumb.

He didn't explain a decision. He went out there justifying reckless behavior by the President. He wasn't serving as attorney general, he's serving the President's guidance counselor.

He has suggested that, within the United States, we should have a--an identified National Security Council coordinator...