Rep. Chris Corry, assistant ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, has been appointed by House Speaker Laurie Jinkins to serve on the Task Force for After-Action Review of Statewide Pandemic Response and Recovery.
The task force, which consists of 38 members, includes four legislators from both caucuses in the Senate and the House. The committee is charged with completing a comprehensive review of Washington state’s COVID-19 pandemic response in accordance with national standards for emergency disasters.
“I’m honored to have been selected for this committee. The pandemic brought unprecedented uncertainty to our families, businesses, and communities,” said Corry, R-Yakima. “As we carefully examine the state’s response to the crisis, we need to find the lessons within it. What did we do right and what did we do wrong? Are there gaps and needs within the healthcare system and other emergency response functions?”
Funding for the task force was allocated in the recently enacted 2021-22 state operating budget. The military will spearhead and facilitate the task force when conducting the after-action review of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A myriad of other issues that go beyond health and safety must also be addressed,” continued Corry. “Given the scale of the extraordinary measures taken by the government, were civil liberties and the protection of property rights respected to the largest extent possible? What about the need for executive emergency power reform? I’m looking forward to contributing to the work of this committee and bringing light to these important discussions in the months to come.”
The committee will report its initial findings and recommendations to the governor and the appropriate committees of the Legislature by June 30, 2022.