The Evening: Whistle-Blower on Capitol Hill, Job Losses, Grateful Dead at RFK and More
May 14, 2020
Whistle-Blower Complaint on Capitol Hill
A government vaccine specialist who was moved out of his job last month testified today that the lack of a comprehensive, national strategy to address coronavirus may impede efforts to distribute a future vaccine and is causing current problems such as a lack of testing supplies. President Trump, who said that he had watched part of Mr. Bright’s testimony, told reporters: “He looks like an angry, disgruntled employee who, frankly, according to some people, didn’t do a very good job,” as the WSJ reports.
Job Losses
Scattershot reopenings of retail stores, nail salons, and restaurants around the country have not halted the flood of layoffs, with the government reporting today that nearly 3 million people filed unemployment claims last week, bringing the two-month tally to 36.5 million. And, as the NYT reports , a new survey by the Federal Reserve found that in households making less than $40,000 a year, nearly 40 percent of those who were working in February lost their jobs in March or the beginning of April.
Stepping Up Trade Leadership: New CSIS Micro-website
With emerging powers seeking to rewrite global trade rules in their favor, the CSIS Trade Commission examines what needs to be done to maintain U.S. leadership. Visit our new micro-website, https://tradeleadership.csis.org/.
Climate Check
"Electrification is expected to play a major part in decarbonization, especially in areas such as transportation and buildings. However, electrification will only help deep decarbonization efforts if the electric power sector decarbonizes as well," write CSIS's Stephen Naimoli and Sarah Ladislaw in a new brief.
On the Horizon
The Covid-19 crisis comes at a time of worsening U.S.-India economic relations. But recovery from the pandemic offers new opportunities for positive cooperation and more resilient linkages, writes CSIS's Richard Rossow.
CSIS’s “On the Horizon” series offers insights into the more fundamental changes we might anticipate for our future social and economic world as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
CSIS Executive Education
Join CSIS’s Trade Guys for their next crash course on trade policy. The one-day program breaks down the fundamentals of how U.S. trade policy is formulated, the legalities of trade in an international arena, and the impact of Covid-19 on supply chains. Register here .
Video Shorts
Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Testify,” "What's Happening," "Preview," and “High Resolution.” And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel!
In That Number
8
Ordinary speech can emit small respiratory droplets that linger in the air for at least eight minutes and potentially much longer, according to a study that could help explain why infections of the coronavirus so often cluster in nursing homes, households, conferences, cruise ships, and other confined spaces with limited air circulation.
Source: Research by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the University of Pennsylvania, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Critical Quote
“Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history.”
— Dr. Rick Bright, whistle-blower who was ousted as head of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
iDeas Lab
Hmeimim air base has been a vital link in Russia's campaign in Syria. Read a recent CSIS report to learn more about Russia's aims and strategy in the region.
The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and video.
Optics
(Photo credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images.) Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in the Capitol today.
Recommended Reading
“After Kim Jong Un: It Is Time to Plan for North Korea’s Inevitable Succession Crisis,” by CSIS’s Katrin Frazer Katz and Victor Cha for Foreign Affairs.
Online Events
Tomorrow, at 11:00 a.m., the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments will host a discussion with Christian Brose, former staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, on his new book about the future of high-tech warfare.
Later, at 1:00 p.m., Politico will host a virtual briefing with Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, to discuss the measures needed to restart the global economy.
Also, at 2:00 p.m., the Wilson Center will host Asad Majeed Khan, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, for a conversation about Islamabad's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Video
CSIS yesterday webcasted a panel discussion building off a new CSIS report on the Russia's campaign in Syria. The experts shed light on Russia’s goals in Syria, the diplomatic and military components of the campaign, and the important takeaways for Russia and the United States. Watch the event here.
Podcasts
In the latest episode of Energy 360, Ben Cahill, senior fellow at CSIS, spoke with Yao Li, founder and CEO of SIA Energy in Beijing. They looked at the energy implications of Covid-19 in China, including what the Chinese economic recovery might look like and what imbalances might play out in the energy sector.
Listen on Apple Podcast & Spotify.
Smiles
The Grateful Dead today released this clip of their performance at DC’s RFK Stadium in June of ’91. Look at how packed RFK was to see the Dead. I loved seeing the Dead perform at RFK; they sounded so good there. I love this clip because of the breeze blowing through Jerry’s hair—he looks so at ease: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP2pOKudqzw.