
Public Health and Disaster Response Task Force
The Public Health and Disaster Response Task Force has jurisdiction over a broad range of issues in the areas including Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), National Guard, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Immigration, Human Services, COVID-19 issues related to testing, Vaccines, Supply Chain, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Federal Priorities

- Military and National Guard Issues
- Disaster Response, Recovery and Reform
- Cybersecurity
- Post Public Health Emergency (including end of increased FMAP, Medicaid redeterminations, SNAP, TANF)
- Post COVID-19 Health Care Issues (telehealth, mental health, polysubstance abuse, workforce, health care infrastructure, equity)
- COVID-19 and Post COVID-19 Lessons Learned
Task Force Letter on FY 2023 Appropriations
Preparing for and Responding to a Cyber Crisis
During the 2022 NGA Winter Meeting Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont hosted a breakout session on responding to cybersecurity threats and crises with a focus on best practices for states and territories. From ransomware attacks, to threats to critical infrastructure, to the use of online platforms to fence stolen goods, cyber vulnerabilities and challenges continue to evolve. This session looked at how Governors are updating and improving their plans and response capabilities to ensure a robust and secure cybersecurity posture in partnership with the federal government and private sector.
Panelists
- Jen Easterly, Director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- R.P. Eddy, Chief Executive Officer, Ergo
- Merritt Baer, Principal, Amazon Web Services, Office of the Chief Information Security Officer
- Kemba Eneas Walden, Assistant General Counsel, Digital Crimes Unit, Microsoft
2022 Task Force
Governor Ned Lamont, Connecticut – Co-Chair
Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee – Co-Chair
- Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga, American Samoa
- Governor Gavin Newsom, California
- Governor David Ige, Hawaiʻi
- Governor Eric Holcomb, Indiana
- Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa
- Governor John Bel Edwards, Louisiana
- Governor Charlie Baker, Massachusetts
- Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota
- Governor Steve Sisolak, Nevada
- Governor Chris Sununu, New Hampshire
- Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico
- Governor Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma
- Governor Kate Brown, Oregon
- Governor Spencer Cox, Utah
NGA Staff
- Michael Horder, Legislative Director
- Maribel Ramos, Legislative Director