Former Lawmakers and Federal Officials on the Coronavirus Pandemic and Response

The University of Arizona National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD) held a virtual conversation on the coronavirus pandemic and the federal government’s response. Several former lawmakers and federal officials took part in the conversation, including former Representative Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) and former Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ). Former Health and Human Services Secretaries Mike Leavitt (George W. Bush administration) and Sylvia Burwell (Obama administration) also took part in the discussion. The panelists talked about the importance of bipartisan leadership during the crisis, how to overcome the challenges of COVID-19, and the lessons from past crises. Keith Allred, the director of the institute, also addressed the issue of surprise medical billing, which both the institute and Congress had been working on. close