Lamont named co-chair of national Pandemic and Disaster Response Task Force

Gov. Ned Lamont has been appointed co-chair of the National Governors Association”™s (NGA) Pandemic and Disaster Response Task Force.

It is one of three task forces that are being created by the NGA to coordinate and lead bipartisan state and territorial efforts to response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and to lead economic recovery and community renewal efforts.

The task forces, which replace committees, are designed to foster a more nimble response to the ongoing public health, economic, and human services challenges related to the coronavirus, as well as to focus NGA”™s federal advocacy efforts on governors”™ top priorities now and in the future.

Thanking NGA Chairman New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Lamont noted: “Our state was hit early and hit hard by this pandemic. Throughout this unprecedented crisis, I have worked with my neighboring governors to ensure our responses were coordinated.

“Our public health professionals set up nation-leading testing and contact tracing infrastructure, which have assisted in our response to the coronavirus pandemic,” he continued. “We also worked with our federal partners as we responded to multiple severe weather events, and I am eager to exchange ideas and best practices with my fellow governors.”

The NGA”™s three new task forces are:

• Pandemic and Disaster Response: Co-chaired by Lamont (D) and Gov. Bill Lee (R-Tennessee). Issues include Federal Emergency Management Administration, National Guard, cybersecurity, health care, and Covid-19 (e.g. testing, vaccines, supply chain and personal protective equipment).
• Economic Recovery and Revitalization: Co-chaired by Gov. Henry McMaster (R-South Carolina) and Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Kentucky). Issues include infrastructure, state stabilization, energy, environment, land management and taxes.
• Community Renewal: Co-chaired by Gov. Albert Bryan (D-U.S. Virgin Islands) and Gov. Mike Parson (R-Missouri). Issues include workforce, nutrition, education, criminal justice, agriculture and broadband.

The new task forces will work with NGA”™s nine-member Executive Committee, which oversees the association”™s operations on behalf of the entire membership.