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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: CRS Experts

Changes from March 16, 2020 to April 1, 2020

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Coronavirus Disease Outbreak2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak: CRS Experts

Updated March 16April 1, 2020 (R46209)

On December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China. Illnesses have since been linked to a new strain of coronavirus, designated Coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19. The disease has spread to many other countries, including the United States. The situation is rapidly changing, and both WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) post frequent updates.1 CRS products on the outbreak are available on the "COVID-19" Hot Topicunder the "Coronavirus Resources" banner at https://www.crs.gov/.

The following table lists names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns involving the COVID-19 outbreak. Policy areas identified include

  • public health, virology, and epidemiology;
  • international response activities;
  • domestic response activities; and
  • legal issues.

Cheryl R. CooperAnalyst in Financial Economics   Andrew P. ScottAnalyst in Financial Economics Marc LabonteSpecialist in Macroeconomic Policy Mark P. KeightleySpecialist in Economics   Don MarplesSpecialist in Public Finance   Molly F. SherlockSpecialist in Public Finance Bruce R. LindsayAnalyst in American National Government   Robert Jay DilgerSenior Specialist in American National Government Katelin P. IsaacsSpecialist in Income Security   Julie M. WhittakerSpecialist in Income Security Scott D. SzymenderaAnalyst in Disability Policy Employment, Labor:State Temporary Disability Insurance Will MortonAnalyst in Disability Policy Nathan JamesAnalyst in Crime Policy Kristin FinkleaSpecialist in Domestic Security Abigail F. KolkerAnalyst in Immigration Policy Audrey SingerSpecialist in Immigration Policy Audrey SingerSpecialist in Immigration Policy Jill H. WilsonAnalyst in Immigration Policy Jill H. WilsonAnalyst in Immigration Policy Andorra BrunoSpecialist in Immigration Policy William A. KandelAnalyst in Immigration Policy Rachel Y. TangAnalyst in Transportation and Industry   Bart EliasSpecialist in Aviation Policy Colby Leigh RachfalAnalyst in Telecommunications Policy Angele A. GilroySpecialist in Telecommunications Policy   Colby Leigh RachfalAnalyst in Telecommunications Policy Brian E. HumphreysAnalyst in Science and Technology Policy Edward C. LiuLegislative Attorney Jennifer K. ElseaLegislative Attorney Kevin J. HickeyLegislative Attorney Ben HarringtonLegislative Attorney David H. CarpenterLegislative Attorney Cliff BinderAnalyst in Health Care Financing Cliff BinderAnalyst in Health Care Financing

Food: child nutrition programs during school closures, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

  Paul S. DaviesSpecialist in Income Security John F. Sargent, Jr.Specialist in Science and Technology Policy Bernadette FernandezSpecialist in Health Care Financing Vanessa C. ForsbergAnalyst in Health Care Financing   Kavya SekarAnalyst in Health Policy   Laurie A. HarrisAnalyst in Science and Technology Policy   Amanda K. SarataSpecialist in Health Policy   Frank GottronSpecialist in Science and Technology Policy   Kavya SekarAnalyst in Health Policy   Laurie A. HarrisAnalyst in Science and Technology Policy Frank GottronSpecialist in Science and Technology Policy Lisa N. SaccoAnalyst in Illicit Drugs and Crime Policy

Legislative Issue

Name/Title

Phone

Email

Public Health—General

 

Sarah A. Lister
Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Kavya Sekar
Analyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Public Health—Disease and Epidemiology

 

Laurie A. Harris
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Sarah A. Lister
Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

International Response Activities

General, outbreak response

Sara M. Tharakan
Analyst in Global Health and International Development

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

General, World Health Organization (WHO), international authorities

Tiaji Salaam-Blyther
Specialist in Global Health

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

State Department

Cory R. Gill
Analyst in Foreign Affairs

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

China: Economics and trade

Karen M. Sutter
Specialist in Asian Trade and Finance

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

International economic effects

Andres B. Schwarzenberg
Analyst in International Trade and Finance

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Multilateral Economic Institutions: World Bank, International Monetary Fund

Martin A. Weiss
Specialist in International Trade and Finance

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Legal and illegal wildlife trade and zoonotic diseases

Pervaze A. Sheikh
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Katarina C. O'Regan
Analyst in Foreign Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Domestic Response Activities

Health: Public health, Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), funding

Sarah A. Lister
Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Kavya Sekar
Analyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Laurie A. Harris
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Medical countermeasures (tests, vaccines, treatments, patent issues)

Agata Dabrowska
Analyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Amanda K. Sarata
Specialist in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Frank Gottron
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Kavya Sekar
Analyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Laurie A. Harris
Analyst in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Biodefense

Frank Gottron
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Private health insurance, essential health benefits

Vanessa C. Forsberg
Analyst in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Private health insurance, surprise medical billing

Ryan J. Rosso
Analyst in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Noah D. Isserman
Economics and Employment

Economics: Consumer Finance and Credit Reporting

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Economic effects

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Tax and spending options

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Small Business Administration (SBA)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Employment, Labor: Unemployment Insurance (UI), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Employment, Labor: Occupational safety and health, workers' compensation

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration and Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice: Health Care in Jails and Prisons

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Criminal Justice: COVID-19 Related Cybercrime and Fraud

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Eligibility for Public Benefits and Public Charge

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Health Care Immigration Detention

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Border screening, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Detention and Removal, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Foreign Health Care Workers

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Non-Immigrant Visas

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Temporary Worker Programs (H2A and H2B)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Immigrant Visas

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Industry

Transportation: Aviation

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Broadband and Digital Divide

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Federal Communications Commission

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Critical Infrastructure

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Legal

Isolation and Quarantine

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Emergency Authorities

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Vaccines, Treatments, Patent Issues

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Border Screening, Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Procurement, Defense Production Act

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Medicare and Medicaid

Health: Medicare and Medicaid Oversight

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Medicare and Medicaid Part B Prescription Drugs

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Nursing home and home health agency oversight

Phoenix Voorhies
Analyst in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility and Benefits

Evelyne P. Baumrucker
Specialist in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Medicaid and CHIP Financing

Alison Mitchell
Specialist in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Telehealth Medicare

Jim Hahn
Specialist in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Telehealth Medicaid

Alison Mitchell
Evelyne P. BaumruckerSpecialist in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Medicare Physician Issues

Jim Hahn
Specialist in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Medicare Hospital Payments

Marco A. Villagrana
Analyst in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Medicare Advantage

Paulette C. Morgan
Specialist in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Nursing home and home health agency oversight

Phoenix VoorhiesAnalyst in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Nutrition Programs and Income Security

Kara Clifford Billings
Analyst in Social Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Food: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Randy Alison Aussenberg
Specialist in Nutrition Assistance Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Paid and Unpaid Leave

Sarah A. Donovan
Specialist in Labor Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

School and University Closures and Online Operations

Payments to Social Security and Certain Other Federal Beneficiaries

Rebecca R. Skinner
Specialist in Education Policy

William R. MortonAnalyst in Income Security

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Alexandra Hegji
Analyst in Social Policy

Retirement: withdrawals, required distributions, and pension funding relief

John J. TopoleskiSpecialist in Income Security

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Cassandria Dortch
Specialist in Education Policy

Elizabeth A. MyersAnalyst in Income Security

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Border screening, Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Temporary Assistance: Short-term loans for repatriated U.S. citizens

Audrey Singer
Karen E. LynchSpecialist in ImmigrationSocial Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Transportation: Aviation

Rachel Y. Tang
Analyst in Transportation and Industry

Other

Federal Manufacturing Research and Development

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Bart Elias
Specialist in Aviation

Defense Production Act

Michael H. CecireAnalyst in Intergovernmental Relations and Economic Development Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Broadband and Digital Divide

Colby Leigh Rachfal
Analyst in Telecommunications  Heidi M. PetersAnalyst in U.S. Defense Acquisition Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Temporary Assistance: Short-term loans for repatriated U.S. citizens

School and University Closures and Online Operations

Karen E. Lynch
Rebecca R. SkinnerSpecialist in SocialEducation Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Economic effects

 

Marc Labonte
Specialist in MacroeconomicAlexandra HegjiAnalyst in Social Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Tax and spending options

 

Mark P. Keightley
Cassandria DortchSpecialist in Economics

Education Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Congressional Operations

Don Marples
Specialist in Public Finance

Ida A. BrudnickSpecialist on the Congress

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Molly F. Sherlock
Specialist in Public Finance

R. Eric PetersenSpecialist in American National Government

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Small Business Administration (SBA)

Judicial Operations

Bruce R. Lindsay
Barry J. McMillionAnalyst in American National Government

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Tax Credits, Paid Sick Leave, and Paid Family and Medical Leave

Molly F. Sherlock
Specialist in Public Finance

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Election Administration and Voting

R. Sam Garrett
Specialist in American National Government

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Emergency Management: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Bruce R. Lindsay
Analyst in American National Government

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Erica A. Lee
Analyst in Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Elizabeth M. Webster
Analyst in Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Employment, Labor: Unemployment Insurance (UI), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)

Katelin P. Isaacs
Specialist in Income Security

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Julie M. Whittaker
Specialist in Income Security

Private Health Insurance

Health: Private health insurance, health tax credits

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Private health insurance, covered benefits, exchanges

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Employment, Labor: Occupational safety and health, workers' compensation

Health: Private health insurance, surprise medical billing, employer sponsored coverage, including COBRA coverage

Scott D. Szymendera
Ryan J. RossoAnalyst in Disability Policy

Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Employment, Labor:
State Temporary Disability Insurance

Will Morton
Analyst in Disability Policy

Health: Private health insurance, surprise medical billing, telehealth Noah D. IssermanAnalyst in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Legal Issues

Public Health

Isolation and Quarantine

Edward C. Liu
Legislative Attorney

Health: Public health, Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), funding Sarah A. ListerSpecialist in Public Health and Epidemiology

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Vaccines, Treatments, Patent Issues

Kevin J. Hickey
Legislative Attorney

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Border Screening, Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Ben Harrington
Legislative Attorney

Medical countermeasures (tests, vaccines, treatments, patent issues) Agata DabrowskaAnalyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Biodefense

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Drug Enforcement Administration's Regulatory Role

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Author Contact Information

Matthew B. Barry, Section Research Manager ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Footnotes

1.

WHO, "Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports," https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports; and CDC, "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary," https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html.