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• Global Crisis Needs a Global Solution: The Urgent Need to Accelerate Vaccinations Around the World, Hearing Before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, December 14, 2021

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  This is the December 14, 2021 hearing on "Global Crisis Needs a Global Solution: The Urgent Need to Accelerate Vaccinations Around the World," held before the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. From the opening statement of James E. Clyburn: "Experts say that variants are 6 to 8 times more likely to emerge from less developed countries where a lag in vaccination rates create opportunities for the virus to mutate. The more that new virus develop, the greater the risk that there will be more infections, more deadly, and that they will be resistant to the current life-saving vaccines. We have learned from this pandemic just how difficult it is to prevent new variants from reaching our shores once they emerge. The best protection is, therefore, to make sure they do not develop in the first place. By increasing access to vaccines around the globe, we can save lives and protect public health at home." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Ali Khan, Katheryn Russ, Martin Makary, Krishna Udayakumar, and Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Major Test: Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on the Future of Higher Education, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, July 7, 2020

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  This is the July 7, 2020 hearing on "Major Test: Examining the Impact of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] on the Future of Higher Education," held before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment Committee on Education and Labor. From the opening statement of Susan Davis: "Today, as we know, we are examining how the COVID-19 pandemic is straining our higher education system and discussing what Congress must do to support students and institutions through this difficult time. Across the country, the rush to suspend on-campus activities and switch to online learning has exacerbated preexisting systemic inequities in higher education." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Shaun Harper, Sharon J. Pierce, Scott Pulsipher, and Timothy P. White.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Underfunded & Unprepared: Examining How to Overcome Obstacles to Safely Reopen Public Schools, Hearing Before the Subcommittee Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, July 23, 2020

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  This is the July 23, 2020 hearing on "Underfunded & Unprepared: Examining How to Overcome Obstacles to Safely Reopen Public Schools," held before the U.S. House Subcommittee Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Committee on Education and Labor. From the opening statement of Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan: "We are here to ask what Congress must do to help American students get back to school during this pandemic. All of us wants our schools to reopen for full-time, in-person instruction as soon as possible. That fact is not out for debate. The question is, what must Congress do to help our schools get students back, get students and faculty back into the classroom safely?" Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Leslie Boggs, Michael Hinojosa, Sean O'Leary, and Penny Schwinn.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Telehealth: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, June 17, 2020

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  This is the June 17, 2020 hearing on "Telehealth: Lessons from the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Pandemic," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. From the opening statement of Lamar Alexander: "Because of COVID-19, our healthcare sector and Government have been forced to cram 10 years' worth of telehealth experience into just 3 months. As dark as this pandemic has been, it creates an opportunity to learn from and act upon these 3 months of intensive telehealth experiences, specifically what permanent changes need to be made in Federal and state policies." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Karen S. Rheuban, Joseph C. Kvedar, Sanjeev Arora, and Andrea D. Willis.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Quarterly Cares Act Report to Congress: Examining Testimony from the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, as Required Under Title IV of the Cares Act, Hearing Before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, March 24, 2021

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  This is the March 24, 2021 hearing on "Quarterly Cares Act Report to Congress: Examining Testimony from the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, as Required Under Title IV of the Cares Act," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. From the opening statement of Sherrod Brown: "After a year of Americans being told by their Government, 'We cannot help you, we cannot afford it, you are on your own,' after a year of inaction and indifference, the American Rescue Plan will deliver on the hope that Americans voted for: put shots in people's arms, money in people's pockets, kids back in school. This is the investment we need that will defeat the virus, rescue the economy, and begin the work of building a better system for the future." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Janet L. Yellen and Jerome H. Powell.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Violence Against Educators and School Personnel: Crisis During COVID

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  From the Document: "The US is experiencing trends of dramatic employee turnover in our nation's schools. Current and future decisions to leave the field of education affect the quality of our schools and the next generations of learners, educators, and school leaders in the nation. Physical and verbal violence directed against educators may be exacerbating reports of high stress, transfers, and leaving the profession. In this policy brief, we present the viewpoints and concerns of school personnel across the country and offer recommendations based on their reports for what can be done to prevent and address this trend. This brief presents findings from a national survey of violence against educators and school personnel in the US. The survey was conducted from July 2020 to June 2021 as the nation faced several significant challenges (e.g., racial unrest, a global pandemic, concerns over student mental health, and the aftermath of a disputed Presidential election). School stakeholders were asked to rate their experiences during COVID [coronavirus disease] (since March 2020)."

  American Psychological Association

  McMahon, Susan Dvorak; Anderman, Eric M.; Astor, Ron Avi . . .

  2022
• Rising to the Challenge: The Future of Higher Education Post COVID-19, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment of the Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, March 17, 2021

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  This is the March 17, 2021 hearing on "Rising to the Challenge: The Future of Higher Education Post COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]," held before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment of the Committee on Education and Labor. From the opening statement of Frederica Wilson: "Today we meet to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education and what we can do to expand access to quality higher education. I want to start by reaffirming a well-established fact that the foundation of our work that a college degree is the surest pathway to financial security and a rewarding career. [...] Unfortunately, the COVID 19 pandemic has created new barriers to postsecondary degrees." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Lindsey M. Burke, Eloy Ortiz Oakley, Keith Thornton, and Daniel A. Zibel.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Frauds, Scams and COVID-19: How Con Artists Have Targeted Older Americans During the Pandemic, Hearing Before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, September 23, 2021

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  This is the September 23, 2021 hearing on "Frauds, Scams and COVID-19: How Con Artists Have Targeted Older Americans During the Pandemic" held before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. From the opening statement of Robert P. Casey, Jr.: "Today, the Committee convenes a hearing to learn about how COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] left older Americans more vulnerable to frauds and scams. In the early days of the pandemic, many seniors isolated themselves in an effort to avoid contracting the virus but in the process were cutoff from family and friends. Fraudsters saw an opportunity, and they pounced. They preyed on the fear and the uncertainty surrounding the disease as well as the loneliness and isolation that resulted from the pandemic. People were longing for human contact, and a friendly voice on the phone or a beckoning message on Facebook, that became harder to turn away from, all of that. At the same time, without regular contact with friends and family, it was easier for small scams to balloon into big scams." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Lois Greisman, Odette Williamson, Kate Kleinert, and Vee Daniel.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• One Hundred Million Cases in One Hundred Weeks: Working Towards Better COVID-19 Outcomes in the WHO European Region

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  From the Document: "We are pleased to present the work undertaken by the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe)'s COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Incident Management Support Team (IMST) from the advent of COVID-19 into the European Region to the end of 2021. This represents 100 weeks of emergency response, 100 million COVID-19 cases, and one operational team that has worked hand-in-hand with our Member States and partners to protect lives and livelihoods. [...] This special summary report is intended to shed light on the way in which WHO has responded to the SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] pandemic in the WHO European Region over the past two years. Select key achievements and impact stories are highlighted alongside glimpses of on-the-ground narratives."

  World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe

  COVID-19 Incident Management Support Team

  2022
• Quarterly CARES Act Report to Congress, Hearing Before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining Testimony from the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, as Required Under Title IV of the Cares Act, May 19, 2020

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  This is the May 19, 2020 hearing on "Quarterly CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act Report to Congress," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. From the opening statement of Mike Crapo: "Congress has appropriated nearly $3 trillion to protect, strengthen, and support Americans, to fight the pandemic, and also to stabilize the infrastructure of our economic system. A large portion of this funding is authorized under Title IV of the CARES Act, which provides significant resources for loans, loan guarantees, and other investments from Treasury and the Federal Reserve's 13(3) emergency lending facilities and programs in support of eligible businesses, States, municipalities, and tribes. Congress has appropriated nearly $3 trillion to protect, strengthen, and support Americans, to fight the pandemic, and also to stabilize the infrastructure of our economic system. A large portion of this funding is authorized under Title IV of the CARES Act, which provides significant resources for loans, loan guarantees, and other investments from Treasury and the Federal Reserve's 13(3) emergency lending facilities and programs in support of eligible businesses, States, municipalities, and tribes. [...] Last week, other members of this Committee and I had a robust discussion with Vice Chairman Quarles on these facilities and stressed the importance of getting facilities like the Main Street Lending Programs and the Municipal Liquidity Facility up and running quickly to provide a lifeline to struggling businesses, States, and local governments. Again, I stress the importance of setting these facilities up quickly and allowing broad access." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Steven T. Mnuchin and Jerome H. Powell.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Supporting Disabled Veterans: The State of Claims Processing During and After COVID-19, Hearing Before the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, May 12, 2021

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  This is the May 12, 2021 hearing on "Supporting Disabled Veterans: The State of Claims Processing During and After COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. From the opening statement of Jon Tester: "Last year the VBA [Veterans Benefits Administration] provided compensation to over 5 million disabled veterans and survivors. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has hampered VBA, leading to hundreds of thousands of backlogged claims. With the funds Congress provided in the American Rescue Plan, VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] anticipates getting back to pre-COVID numbers by late next year. I am concerned, however, that next year is not soon enough for disabled veterans weathering the storm of this pandemic. I am also concerned that as VBA concentrates on speed, it risks sacrificing quality. Disabled veterans must have confidence that their claims will be fairly and accurately decided. Last year's removal of the 48-hour review period is an example of when VBA, when obsessed with speed, removed a veteran's ability to correct the error before a final decision was made. Now, look. Everybody appreciates quickness, but forcing vets to appeal errors makes them wait longer, and, quite frankly, it is a nonstarter. So when it comes to renewing VBA's focus on disabled veterans, we have got some work to do." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Thomas J. Murphy, Elizabeth Curda, Ryan Gallucci, Shane Liermann, and Carmen McGinnis.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Experiences of Health Centers in Implementing Telehealth Visits for Underserved Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from the Connected Care Accelerator Initiative

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  From the Document: "In the early months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, telehealth use grew to maintain continuity of care and protect patients and providers. The sudden change in delivery posed challenges for some providers. Such organizations as the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) sought to support providers, particularly those that serve low-income individuals--including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)--in developing high-volume telehealth programs. In this report, we examine the experiences of health center providers in California that participated in CHCF's Connected Care Accelerator program, which helped providers navigate this transition. This work provides data on health centers' experiences with telehealth both before and during the pandemic, offering valuable insight into the policy implications of the use of telehealth as the pandemic continues and ultimately wanes."

  RAND Corporation

  Uscher-Pines, Lori; Arora, Natasha; Jones, Maggie . . .

  2022
• Oversight of the Treasury Department's and Federal Reserve's Pandemic Response, Hybrid Hearing Before the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, December 1, 2021

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  This is the December 1, 2021 hybrid hearing on "Oversight of the Treasury Department's and Federal Reserve's Pandemic Response," held before the Committee on Financial Services. From the opening statement of Maxine Waters: "As this pandemic continues, the Biden Administration and congressional Democrats remain hard at work to provide protections and essential relief to individuals, families, and small businesses across the country. The emergence of the new Omicron variant shows us that this crisis is not over and we must remain vigilant to protect our country and our families from the devastation of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. [...] But our work does not stop at pandemic relief. We also enacted bipartisan infrastructure legislation, an achievement that has eluded Republican and Democratic Presidents alike for decades. Under the Biden Administration, we now have the funding in place and the programs to finally rebuild and refit our nation's bridges, roads, and railways, and bring broadband to millions. And soon, the Build Back Better Act will make long-overdue investments in the nation's affordable housing infrastructure, childcare, and education workforce. I hope that our Senate colleagues will quickly send this bill to the President's desk. While these investments will be critical, the Fed's unfinished objectives of full employment and price stability serve as a reminder that we must not leave anyone behind during this recovery." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jerome H. Powell and Janet L. Yellen.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Vaccines: Saving Lives, Ensuring Confidence, and Protecting Public Health, Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining Vaccines, Focusing on Saving Lives, Ensuring Confidence, and Protecting Public Health, September 9, 2020

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  This is the September 9, 2020 hearing on "Vaccines: Saving Lives, Ensuring Confidence, and Protecting Public Health," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. From the opening statement of Lamar Alexander: "First the progress toward a COVID [coronavirus disease] vaccine. Dr. Collins, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, is here today to talk about that, research and development, Operation Warp-Speed which is working around the clock to develop manufacture and distribute a safe and effective vaccine to hundreds of millions of Americans. Some people incorrectly believe that warp speed means cutting corners, but it refers to the extraordinary investment in research, development, and manufacturing scale up for the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine. Perhaps most significantly the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, we call it BARDA, has taken up the unprecedented step to help speed up manufacturing for hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine early in the process so they can be ready as soon as the new vaccines are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In other words, they will be manufactured before they are approved, and if they are approved, they will be ready to distribute and if they are not approved, they will be thrown in the dumpster. Despite the speed with which scientists are developing this COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Hahn, the Commissioner of FDA, said the Administration is not or his agency, 'is not skimping on its review of safety and efficacy. This is going to be a science, medicine data decision. This is not going to be a political decision.' Dr. Hahn said. That means that if the FDA determines that a vaccine is not safe or effective after reviewing the science and clinical trial results, the vaccine will not be distributed." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Francis Collins and Jerome Adams.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Study of the Effectiveness of Travel Restrictions in the EEA

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  From the Executive Summary: "There have been extensive travel restrictions in place across Europe over the last two years, ranging from mandatory quarantines to pre-departure testing and on-arrival testing. Despite these travel restrictions, Europe has experienced significant waves of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. While the current wave of infections associated with the Omicron variant is subsiding in most European countries, new Variants of Concern (VOCs) are likely to continue to emerge. However, nearly two years on from the start of the pandemic, there is a question about whether implementing travel restrictions to protect domestic populations against COVID-19 is a useful and proportionate approach. Indeed, analysis shows that travel restrictions have failed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The International Health Regulation Emergency Committee of the World Health Organisation (WHO) also recently highlighted the failure of travel restrictions to limit the importation of VOCs. As we look to a world where COVID-19 is endemic, it is relevant to consider the role of air passenger travel restrictions in limiting the importation of COVID-19, particularly as a result of new VOCs."

  Oxera Consulting Ltd.; Edge Health

  2022
• Americans' Trust in Scientists, Other Groups Declines: Republicans' Confidence in Medical Scientists Down Sharply Since Early in the Coronavirus Outbreak

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  From the Document: "Americans' confidence in groups and institutions has turned downward compared with just a year ago. Trust in scientists and medical scientists, once seemingly buoyed by their central role in addressing the coronavirus outbreak, is now below pre-pandemic levels. [...] Overall, 29% of U.S. adults say they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public, down from 40% who said this in November 2020. Similarly, the share with a great deal of confidence in scientists to act in the public's best interests is down by 10 percentage points (from 39% to 29%), according to a new Pew Research Center survey. The new findings represent a shift in the recent trajectory of attitudes toward medical scientists and scientists. Public confidence in both groups had increased shortly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak, according to an April 2020 survey [hyperlink]. Current ratings of medical scientists and scientists have now fallen below where they were in January 2019, before the emergence of the coronavirus."

  Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

  Kennedy, Brian; Tyson, Alec; Funk, Cary

  2022
• Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds: Overview of the Final Rule

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  From the Document: "'The Overview of the Final Rule provides a summary of major provisions of the final rule for informational purposes and is intended as a brief, simplified user guide to the final rule provisions.' The descriptions provided in this document summarize key provisions of the final rule but are non-exhaustive, do not describe all terms and conditions associated with the use of SLFRF [State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds], and do not describe all requirements that may apply to this funding. Any SLFRF funds received are also subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement entered into by Treasury and the respective jurisdiction, which incorporate the provisions of the final rule and the guidance that implements this program."

  United States. Department of the Treasury

  2022-01
• 2022 is the Year of Decision: 'CSIS Commission on Strengthening America's Health Security'

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  From the Executive Summary: "The year 2022 is the year of decision. Confronted at the year's opening with the Omicron surge, we have no choice but to rethink U.S. approaches, at home and abroad, in both managing the ongoing pandemic and in creating better preparedness for the future. Although we have achieved significant progress with vaccines, boosters, and new therapeutics, we must come to terms with several hard realities, setbacks, and uncertainties. We must better unify and balance our domestic and international strategies, dissolving the tension between the two and making clear to Americans that each is essential to the truly global response necessary to resolve this crisis. We need to preserve and strengthen the fragile bipartisanship that has been and remains foundational to success in advancing America's health security. Science and technology do provide us with vital tools to manage the SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] virus, even as Omicron dramatically raises the urgency and stakes in developing and deploying better, more durable, and possibly pan-variant vaccines and in bringing new therapies rapidly to scale. Operation Warp Speed taught us what is possible in terms of speed, scale, and production of vaccines when there is political will, resources, oversight, and concentrated decision authority, including use of the Defense Production Act, that blends civilian and military capacities. Thinking on our future technology needs and preparedness infrastructure is advancing; the draft American Pandemic Preparedness Plan [hyperlink], released in September 2021, calls for $65 billion over 7 to 10 years to develop vaccines, therapies, and diagnostics and strengthen monitoring and surveillance, domestically and globally."

  Center for Strategic and International Studies (Washington, D.C.)

  Brooks, Susan; Gerberding, Julie Louise; Morrison, J. Stephen

  2022-01
• Great Reset: Public Opinion, Populism and the Pandemic

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  From the Introduction: "Two years ago, the Cambridge Centre for the Future of Democracy published its inaugural 'Global Satisfaction with Democracy 2020' report. This study analysed a global, novel data set combining 25 data sources, 3,500 country surveys, and 4 million respondents between 1973 and 2020, and found widespread democratic disillusionment, in particular in developed democracies. In a follow-up report in October, we found evidence of a growing inter-generational divide, as younger generations were not only less satisfied with the performance of democracy than older age cohorts, but also less satisfied than their elders had been at the same stage in life. The purpose of the current report is to examine how the global coronavirus pandemic has upended our prior findings. Our first report was published just two months before the World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic in March of 2020. In the two years since, societies have faced a once-in-a-generation event that has disrupted working lives, the role of government, economic conditions, and social relations across the planet. An established body of literature in the study of public opinion suggests that major life events, such as war, revolution, or natural disaster, can have profound and lasting effects upon lifetime beliefs and attitudes. Yet as societies gradually return to normal life in 2022, we are still far from understanding what this legacy may be. If there is a 'COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] generation,' similar to the '1945' or '1968' generations of the past, what may be its defining attitudes and beliefs? Does the post-pandemic era offer the prospect of more of the same - or will it prove to be a 'great reset' event that completely changes the landscape of public opinion and salient societal and political trends?"

  University of Cambridge. Bennett Institute for Public Policy. Centre for the Future of Democracy

  Foa, Roberto Stefan; Romero-Vidal, Xavier; Klassen, Andrew J. . . .

  2022-01
• Kids Online During COVID: Child Safety in an Increasingly Digital Age, Virtual Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, March 11, 2021

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  This is the March 11, 2021 hearing on "Kids Online During COVID [coronavirus disease]: Child Safety in an Increasingly Digital Age," held before the House Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. From the opening statement of Jan Schakowsky: "[W]elcome to our hearing on child safety online during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Children are spending twice as much time online as compared to before the pandemic. This time is increasingly spent on digital platforms not designed with children in mind. Although we all hope--and in some cases, it is already happening--the kids will be able to safely return to schools, we should not be naive, however, and believe that in-person schooling will mean that companies stop targeting our children online. Techniques honed by companies during the pandemic, and online habits developed by kids, will continue long after they are back in school. Many online platforms are addictive by design, grabbing attention and, of course, maximizing profits. Children are especially vulnerable to addictive or manipulative techniques and technologies. They are more susceptible to coercive advertising and have trouble resisting attention-grabbing features. The more time children spend online, the more likely they are to be subjected to harmful or age-inappropriate content." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Nusheen Ameenuddin, Corey A. DeAngelis, and Ariel Fox Johnson.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Combating Social Isolation and Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hearing Before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, June 11, 2020

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  This is the June 11, 2020 hearing on "Combating Social Isolation and Loneliness During the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Pandemic," held before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. From the opening statement of Susan Collins: "Today's hearing focuses on a danger that affects older adults of all races and ethnicities in this pandemic, and that is social isolation and prolonged loneliness. In 2017, this Committee held the first congressional hearing on the impact of social isolation and loneliness on older adults. We found that the silent epidemic has devastating physical and emotional health effects by increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease, depression, and dementia. [...] We must continue to do more to support our seniors during this pandemic. Today we will hear from a geriatrician, a public health researcher, and two Area Agency on Aging directors, one serving a large rural area and the other an urban area. All of these individuals are on the front lines of reducing social isolation and loneliness among older adults. We will learn today about promising research, innovation, and technology that can make a big difference. It is imperative, now more than ever, that we find solutions." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Carla Perissinotto, Peter Reed, Betsy Sawyer-Manter, and Najja Orr.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Caring for Seniors Amid the COVID-19 Crisis, Hearing Before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, May 21, 2020

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  This is the May 21, 2020 hearing on "Caring for Seniors Amid the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Crisis," held before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. From the opening statement of Susan Collins: "COVID-19 has brought tremendous hardship and tragedy, placing a heavy burden on the frontline workers, straining our healthcare and distribution systems, and imposing a deadly toll on seniors in particular. [...] Senator Sinema and I wrote to the Administrator for the Centers on Medicare and Medicaid outlining a series of recommendations to better protect older adults in nursing homes. Among the issues that we urged be considered is how long-term care facilities and in-home care settings can access adequate testing as well as personal protective equipment and how the higher health risks of older adults living in nursing homes can be taken into account in the distribution plans for any future COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. New diagnostic tests, therapeutics, and vaccines are moving forward at remarkable speeds. I look forward to learning more about this research today as well as promising treatments and strategies that can speed recovery for the most vulnerable populations. [...] Today we will hear from a panel of experts who are leading the charge in supporting seniors across a variety of settings of care, including in hospitals, in nursing homes, and in the community." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Mark J. Mulligan, R. Tamara Konetzka, and Steven H. Landers.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• COVID-19 Pandemic and Seniors: A Look at Racial Health Disparities, Hearing Before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, July 21, 2020

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  This is the July 21, 2020 hearing on "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Pandemic and Seniors: A Look at Racial Health Disparities," held before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. From the Opening Statement of Susan M. Collins: "Our focus today is on COVID-19's disproportionate health impact on black and Latino seniors, as well as seniors from other racial and ethnic minority communities. According to the New York Times analysis, black and Latino residents are infected with the virus at three times the rate of their white neighbors, and they are nearly twice as likely to die from COVID-19. [...] There is still a great deal that we do not yet know about COVID- 19, but we do know that individuals with chronic kidney disease, serious heart conditions, obesity, sickle cell disease, and type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and that black Americans experience these conditions at disproportionate rates. [...] [One] factor in the disproportionate impact of the virus on black Americans appears to be a distrust of the health care system. A study from a California health system observed that black patients were more likely to have been tested at a hospital than in and ambulatory environment and that patients' prior negative experiences with the health care system can lead to distrust and a decision to seek care only in the most extreme circumstances. Historical injustices with medical experimentation have also left a legacy of mistrust and skepticism among many African Americans that we need to work to resolve. Part of the solution may be found through community partnerships and greater health care workforce diversity." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Dominic H. Mack, Mercedes R. Carnethon, Eugene A. Woods, and Rodney B. Jones.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• From Recession to Recovery: Examining the Impact of the American Rescue Plan's State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, Hearing Before the Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, Second Session, March 1, 2022

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  This is the March 1, 2022 hearing on "From Recession to Recovery: Examining the Impact of the American Rescue Plan's State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds" held before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. From the opening statement of Carolyn B. Maloney: "Two years ago, global attention was seized by a different crisis as the Coronavirus pandemic disrupted life across the world. Under the last Administration, the American economy experienced its worst contraction since 1946, and in April 2020, the unemployment rate skyrocketed to almost 15 percent, the highest rate since the Labor Department began collecting this data more than 70 years ago. In the months that followed, hundreds of thousands of Americans died, and millions more suffered the loss of their family members, jobs, and income. The country had a decision to make. Faced with a destructive recession and public health crisis, would we show the courage necessary to save lives, support communities in need, and revive our stalled economy? President Biden's answer was 'yes.' He proposed the American Rescue Plan on his very first day in office along with the National Vaccination Program and direct support for families and small businesses. The plan included $350 billion in Recovery Funds to States, tribes, territories, and local governments. I am proud to say that this committee in a bipartisan way played a key role in designating and passing these crucial Recovery Funds. We received input from hundreds of bipartisan stakeholders, including Governors, tribal leaders, mayors, union, industry leaders, and public health officials, and we listened to what they had to say." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: J.B. Pritzker, Fawn Sharp, Victoria Woodards, Gary Moore, Michael Leachman, and Marc Joffe.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Pandemic Response and the Small Business Economy: An Update from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Hearing Before the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the United States Senate, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, May 26, 2021

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  This is the May 26, 2021 hearing on "Pandemic Response and the Small Business Economy: An Update from the U.S. Small Business Administration," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. From the opening statement of Benjamin L. Cardin: "It has been 14 months since Congress passed the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act, and the SBA [U.S. Small Business Administration] had really stood up to the challenge. Over $1 trillion in aid has been provided to American small businesses. In the Paycheck Protection Program alone, over 11 million forgivable loans have been issued, and the latest number was to the tune of about $791 billion. There is now optimism among small businesses with the rollout of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine that businesses may be returning to a more normal volume. [...] The key has been Congress and the administration, open lines of communication, working together to implement these tools for small business. Transparency is absolutely essential and sharing information timely." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Isabella Casillas Guzman.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Examination of the SBA's COVID-19 Programs, Hearing Before the Committee on Small Business, United States House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, May 26, 2021

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  This is the May 26, 2021 hearing on "Examination of SBA's [U.S. Small Business Administration's] COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Programs," held before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business. From the opening statement of Nydia Velazquez: "In 2020, COVID-19 closed more businesses than any other year on record and left countless other entrepreneurs clinging for their survival. [...] Congress has passed eight small business relief bills, allocating more than $1 trillion to small firms during their darkest hour. The federal government's efforts to save small business were extraordinary, but distributing this aid was a monumental task for SBA. The $1 trillion-plus in federal funding represented more than 10 times SBA's annual budget. As a result, the agency administered more aid during the COVID crisis than it had for all other disasters combined during its 67-year history. [...] For over a year, small businesses have persevered through a once-in-a-lifetime crisis. Today, thanks to our collective efforts, small firms have hope. Across the country, customers are returning and business conditions are normalizing thanks to vaccines and public health measures. Though the pandemic may be receding, we must continue to work as a Committee to see small businesses to the end of the crisis and help facilitate a strong recovery." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Isabella Casillas Guzman.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• COVID-19: An Update on the Federal Response, Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining COVID-19, Focusing on an Update on the Federal Response, September 23, 2020

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  This is the September 23, 2020 hearing on "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]: An Update on the Federal Response," held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. From the opening statement of Lamar Alexander: "The Trump administration's program to develop and deploy a vaccine against COVID-19 is on track to be an unprecedented sprint to success. The program called Operation Warp Speed will save lives without cutting corners on safety and efficiency. The COVID-19 vaccine development process is likely to produce its first tens of millions of doses within 1 year. The United States has never produced a vaccine that rapidly. [...] The Administration had set a stretch goal that once seemed impossible but now seems likely. The Administration hopes to have as many as 300 million doses of vaccines available to be deployed by mid-2021, according to an August 26 article by Operation Warp Speed program's principal adviser, Dr. Monsef Slowey, and vaccine expert, Dr. Matthew Hepburn, that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Anthony Fauci, Robert Redfield, Brett Giroir, and Stephen Hahn.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• On the Frontlines in Turbulent Times: Workforce Perspectives on the State of Transportation Security, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, November 16, 2021

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  This is the November 16, 2021 hearing on "On the Frontlines in Turbulent Times: Workforce Perspectives on the State of Transportation Security," held before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security. From the Opening Statement of Watson Coleman: "The safety of front-line workers and passengers is paramount, particularly as we continue to battle a pandemic that has turned many of our usual travel customs and norms on their head. While this is not the first year that our country will celebrate the holidays with COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in our midst, it is heartening that almost 60 percent of the population is fully vaccinated against this virus. While we still have a ways to go, strong protection from the worst effects of the virus means more families can safely reunite during this special time of the year. Last Monday was the deadline for Federal employees, including Transportation Security Officers, to receive their last shot of a two-dose vaccine regimen, or a single dose in the case of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, to meet the November 22 deadline to be fully vaccinated, per President Biden's recent Executive Order. In addition, many major airlines have required their employees to receive their shots ahead of the January 4 deadline for Federal contractors. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about how vaccination efforts are progressing among their memberships and the partnerships between employees and employers that these efforts have borne." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Everett B. Kelley, Sara Nelson, John Samuelsen, and John A. Casaretti.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• COVID Child Care Challenges: Supporting Families and Caregivers, Hearing Before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives. One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, Second Session, March 2, 2022

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  This is the March 2, 2022 hearing on "COVID [coronavirus disease] Child Care Challenges: Supporting Families and Caregivers," held before the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. From the Opening Statement of James Clyburn: "The coronavirus pandemic has put tremendous strain on America's families and caregivers. Many of us have seen firsthand in our own families, with our friends, and among our co-workers the difficult challenges that parents, teachers, and other caregivers have faced in the last few years. In the first several months of the pandemic, families and childcare providers were largely left to face these challenges alone. As a result, many were forced to drop out of the work force or to close their businesses. Approximately 60 percent of childcare providers closed in the spring of 2020. These closures led to over 375,000 childcare workers losing their jobs. Although many of those childcare providers were able to reopen, thousands of providers had closed permanently by 2021, contributing to a shortage that persists to this day. These sudden closures forced many parents to make difficult choices between keeping their jobs and caring for their children. Without the necessary support, parents with young children dropped out of the work force in the early days of the pandemic at alarmingly high rates. Now, nearly two years later, men with young children have returned to the work force at pre-pandemic rates, yet the labor participation rate of women with young children has not fully recovered. In January 2022, the most recent month for which data are available, more than 1.1 million women left the job or lost a job due to the need to care for young children. This disparity threatens to exacerbate longstanding gender-based economic inequality." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Gina Forbes, Betsey Stevenson, Lea J.E. Austin, Carrie Lukas, and Lynette M. Fraga.

  United States. Government Publishing Office

  2022
• Risks to National Security: A Full-Year Continuing Resolution for 2022

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  From the Executive Summary: "In the absence of a Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) appropriation and given significant budget disagreements to be resolved, the Department of Defense (DoD) faces the real possibility, and the significant risk of a full-year Continuing Resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). As Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated, this 'would cause enormous, if not irreparable, damage to a wide range of bipartisan priorities - from defense readiness and modernization, to research and development, to public health.' The impact of a full-year CR could not be worse as our country navigates a near-perfect storm of a deteriorating strategic environment, the urgent need for catch-up defense modernization, increasing inflation that is eroding defense buying power, and a defense industrial base (DIB) wrestling with COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], supply chain constraints, and workforce disruptions. For over two decades, the U.S. has focused on counterterrorism, while in that time, China and Russia have invested in technology and capability advances to gain significant advantages over us. With these expanded capabilities, they have become increasingly aggressive. The U.S. is in a race against time to retain its edge by investing in the force structure and capabilities needed to deter further aggression and prevent a major conflict. A full-year CR would delay those key investments, and some of these delays may be unrecoverable."

  National Defense Industrial Association (U.S.)

  2022-01