Bill Overview
Title: National Commission on the COVID–19 Pandemic Act
Description: This bill temporarily establishes the National Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the legislative branch to investigate the facts and circumstances regarding the emergence of, spread of, and response to COVID-19. The commission terminates 90 days after it submits a final report of its findings and recommendations.
Sponsors: Rep. Speier, Jackie [D-CA-14]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals worldwide impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
Estimated Size: 331000000
- The National Commission on the COVID-19 Pandemic is focused on investigating how COVID-19 emerged, spread, and was responded to; thus, its findings could impact anyone who was affected by or is involved in managing the pandemic.
- The COVID-19 pandemic was a global event, affecting nearly every country worldwide, and has resulted in millions of infections and deaths.
- Given the universal impact of the pandemic, potentially all individuals worldwide have experienced some form of impact, either directly through health, economic, or social effects or indirectly through societal changes.
Reasoning
- The National Commission will largely impact individuals involved in healthcare, government policy, and affected by COVID-19 personally by potentially improving pandemic readiness, understanding, and accountability.
- The policy might not significantly affect individuals who are not in direct roles associated with COVID-19 response, though they may experience indirect benefits in terms of future pandemic preparedness.
- Given the large scope of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost every American has a baseline involvement with this policy as it could shape future pandemic response and healthcare policies.
Simulated Interviews
nurse (New York City, NY)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe it's important to get to the bottom of what happened during the pandemic.
- Healthcare workers were at the front lines and bore the brunt of the initial chaos.
- I hope the Commission's findings can prevent future shortages and improve response times.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
software developer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think understanding our shortcomings in responses can improve future outcomes.
- As someone who works from home, I wasn't as affected directly, but the economic impacts are concerning.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
restaurant owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's vital to investigate what went wrong so businesses know what to expect in future crises.
- The Commission might offer some hope that issues will be better managed next time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
paramedic (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope the Commission will push for better emergency preparedness.
- We need a better system to manage such health crises in the future.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
retired teacher (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's important to understand what we faced, especially for future generations.
- A lot of older adults were severely affected, and lessons should be learned.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
public health official (Houston, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- By examining the management of the pandemic, we can guide better educational campaigns and responses.
- Understanding public reaction is crucial to improving public health measures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
freelancer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Hopefully, this investigation brings clarity to how we can protect freelancers and gig workers in future pandemics.
- Economic security is a huge issue that needs to be addressed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
musician (Austin, TX)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The Commission's work could potentially improve crisis management strategies for the arts industry.
- Support systems for artists in such times are crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
graduate student (Boston, MA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm interested in how the Commission will address educational disruptions.
- It's important for us students that such a situation is better handled next time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
factory worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 51 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Workplace safety and future job stability hinge on better pandemic measures.
- The Commission needs to address these issues critically.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $20000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The total cost of the commission will primarily depend on its investigative depth and breadth.
- The findings of the commission could have long-lasting effects on public health policy but are uncertain and difficult to quantify financially.
- The temporary nature of the commission suggests limited long-term financial implications.