FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing on Managing Multiple Simultaneous Crises

Original title: COPING WITH COMPOUND CRISES: EXTREME WEATHER, SOCIAL INJUSTICE, AND A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

January 1, 2021

emergency management climate change public health social justice disaster preparedness

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing serves as a formal record for Congress to evaluate federal disaster response strategies in light of the 2020 convergence of a global pandemic, record-breaking weather events, and social unrest.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Emergency Management Professionals

These professionals are responsible for implementing disaster response strategies that must now account for overlapping crises.

General Public

Residents are the primary subjects of disaster preparedness planning and the recipients of federal emergency response services.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2021.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing to discuss how the United States can better prepare for and respond to the intersection of extreme weather events, systemic social issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts provided testimony on the psychological and logistical challenges of managing '' where multiple disasters occur at once.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on September 30, 2020, via Webex.
The session focused on the theme of 'compound crises' involving extreme weather, social injustice, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
September is designated as National Preparedness Month with the theme 'Disasters Don't Wait. Make Your Plan Today.'
Between January and July 2020, there were 10 separate weather and climate disasters that each cost over $1 billion.
The hearing included testimony from experts in psychological science and emergency management.
The subcommittee established rules for virtual participation, including requirements for video feeds and microphone management.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 'compound crisis'?

A compound crisis refers to the occurrence of multiple major disasters or challenges—such as extreme weather, a pandemic, and social instability—happening simultaneously or in rapid succession.

What was the purpose of this hearing?

The purpose was to gather expert testimony and discuss how federal policy can better address the unique challenges posed when multiple crises overlap.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

temporal pattern100% confidence

2020 Crisis Convergence

The hearing highlights a specific period in 2020 where the frequency of billion-dollar climate disasters coincided with a global pandemic and social unrest.

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Connected Entities

organizationCommittee on Science, Space, and Technology“House committee overseeing the subcommittee”Map →

personMikie Sherrill“Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Environment”Map →

personSamantha Montano“Assistant Professor of Emergency Management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy”Map →

personRoxane Cohen Silver“Professor of Psychological Science, Medicine, and Public Health at UC Irvine”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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