DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Washington DC 20420 May 27, 2020 In Reply Refer To: 001B FOIA Request: 20-05139-F Mehreen Rasheed & Austin Evers American Oversight [no physical address provided] foia@americanoversight.org Dear Mehreen Rasheed & Austin Evers, This is the Initial Agency Decision (IAD) to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (OSVA), dated and received March 5, 2020, and assigned FOIA tracking number 20-05139-F. You requested, as quoted: "All email communications (including emails, complete email chains, email attachments, calendar invitations, and calendar invitation attachments) between (a) Secretary Robert Wilkie or anyone serving as White House Liaison or agency point of contact for the coronavirus task force, and (b) the Executive Office of the President (EOP) officials listed below: 1. Vice President Mike Pence ii. National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien iii. Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger iv. Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff Robert Blair v. Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council Joseph Grogan vi. Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Coordination Christopher Liddell vii. Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow viii. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx ix. Press Secretary Katie Miller (formerly Katie Waldman) x. Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Kelvin Droegmeier Please provide all responsive records from January 30, 2020, through the date of the search." Reasonable Search Dated 3/27/20, 4/8/20 & 4/29/20 On March 27, 2020, an OSVA FOIA Officer requested that the OIT office provide all responsive records in its possession. On April 8, 2020 the OIT office provided responsive records. On April 29, 2020, an OSVA FOIA Officer conducted secondary searches. An OSVA FOIA Officer conducted the below two (2) searches within the email boxes and calendars of Robert Wilkie and the White House Liaison. These searches, dated March 27, 2020, April 8, 2020, and April 29, 2020, yielded seven (7) emails totaling seventy-one (71) pages. Search 1 From: Wilkie or RLW or Bossie To: Pence or O'Brien or Pottinger or Blair or Grogan or Liddell or Kudlow or Birx or Miller or Waldman or Droegmeier Date: 1/20/20 to 3/27/20 Results: two (2) emails Search 2 To: Wilkie or RLW or Bossie A I A PVERSIGHT Mehreen Rasheed Page 2 May 27, 2020 From: Pence or O'Brien or Pottinger or Blair or Grogan or Liddell or Kudlow or Birx or Miller or Waldman or Droegmeier Date: 1/20/20 to 3/27/20 Results: five (5) emails Initial Agency Decision After reviewing the seventy-one (71) pages, OSVA redacts some information with FOIA Exemptions 5 and 6. The presidential communications privilege protects agency communications to or from the President or his advisers. Redacted information includes communication amongst VA and White House officials on responding to, monitoring, and exploring options to respond to the COVID19 pandemic, including options summarized within the names of email attachments, analyzing public infrastructure and risk criteria and trends, flu surveillance, analyzing reported cases from foreign countries and several U.S. states and counties, and discussing how the New Orleans VAMC is medically treating COVID19 patients. Loving v. DOD, 550 F.3d 32, 37-38 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (Exemption 5 "incorporates" Presidential Communications Privilege, which protects "'communications directly involving and documents actually viewed by the President,' as well as documents 'solicited and received' by the President or his 'immediate White House advisers'" (internal citations omitted)); Berman v. CIA, 378 F. Supp. 2d 1209, 1219-20 (E.D. Cal. 2005) (same), aff'd on other grounds, 501 F.3d 1136 (9th Cir. 2007); Judicial Watch, Inc. v. DOJ, 365 F.3d 1108, 1110 n.1 (D.C. Cir. 2004) ("embrac[ing] the definitional analysis set forth" in In re Sealed Case, 121 F.3d 729, 749-50, 752 (D.C. Cir. 1997), protecting documents covered by Presidential Communications Privilege); Amnesty Int'l USA v. CIA, 728 F. Supp. 2d 479, 522 (S.D.N.Y. 2010) ("all twenty documents reflect or memorialize communications between senior presidential advisers and other United States government officials and are therefore properly withheld"). Exemption 5 protects interagency or intra-agency memorandums or letters that would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency. Moreover, this exemption permits an agency to withhold material reflecting the thoughts, opinions, and recommendations of federal officials reviewing issues. Under the deliberative process privilege and FOIA Exemption 5, OSVA redacts internal government deliberations on responding to, monitoring, and exploring options to respond to the COVID19 pandemic, including options summarized within the names of email attachments, analyzing public infrastructure and risk criteria and trends, flu surveillance, analyzing reported cases from foreign countries and several U.S. states and counties, and discussing how the New Orleans VAMC is medically treating COVID19 patients. The information contained in the responsive records is both predecisional and deliberative because it reflects preliminary opinions, proposed solutions, proposed options, proposed actions, proposals, and recommendations, which do not reflect VA's final decision. Exposure of premature discussions before a final decision is made could create undue public confusion. The release of the redacted information would negatively impact the ability of federal employees to openly and frankly consider issues amongst themselves when deliberating, discussing, reviewing, proposing changes to, and making recommendations on VA and federal programs. The information reveals the thoughts, deliberations, and opinions that, if released, would have a chilling effect on the ability of federal officials to discuss, opine, recommend or be forthcoming about the agency's issues which require full and frank assessment. Here, the disclosure of the withheld information is likely to compromise the integrity of this deliberative or decision-making process. Moreover, the predecisional character of a document is not altered by the passage of time. Bruscino v. BOP, No. 94-1955, 1995 WL 444406 at *5 (D.D. C. May 15, 1995), aff'd in part, No. 95-5212, 1996 WL 393101 (D.C. Cir. June 24, 1996). A\11 ICA PVERSIGHT Mehreen Rasheed Page 3 May 27, 2020 5 U.S.C. ? 552(b)(6) exempts from required disclosure "personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy." FOIA Exemption 6 permits VA to withhold a document or information within a document if disclosure of the information, either by itself or in conjunction with other information available to either the public or the FOIA requester, would result in an unwarranted invasion of an individual's personal privacy without contributing significantly to the public's understanding of the activities of the federal government. Specifically, the information being withheld, as indicated on the enclosed documents, under FOIA Exemption 6, consists of names, identities, phone numbers, and email addresses of federal employees. However, we release the names of VA Senior Executives. Federal employees retain a significant privacy interest under certain circumstances, such as in instances where the release of their information could represent a threat to their well-being, harassment, or their ability to function within their sphere of employment. The federal employees whose information is at issue have a substantial privacy interest in their personal information. In weighing the private versus the public interest, we find that there is no public interest in knowing the names, identities, phone numbers, and email addresses of federal employees. The coverage of FOIA Exemption 6 is absolute unless the FOIA requester can demonstrate a countervailing public interest in the requested information by demonstrating that the FOIA requester is in a position to provide the requested information to members of the general public and that the information requested contributes significantly to the public's understanding of the activities of the Federal government. Additionally, the requester must demonstrate how the public's need to understand the information significantly outweighs the privacy interest of the person to whom the information pertains. Upon consideration of the records, I have not been able to identify a countervailing public interest of sufficient magnitude to outweigh the privacy interest of the individuals whose names are redacted. The protected information has been redacted and (b)(6) inserted. "Withholding a telephone number or e-mail address, alone, is not sufficient to protect that [privacy] interest; alternate means of contacting and harassing these employees would be readily discoverable on the Internet if this court ordered their names disclosed." Long v. Immigration & Customs Enf't, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160719 (D.C. Cir. 2017). FOIA Mediation As part of the 2007 FOIA amendments, the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) was created to offer mediation services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation. Using OGIS services does not affect your right to pursue litigation. Under the provisions of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, the following contact information is provided to assist FOIA requesters in resolving disputes: VA Central Office FOIA Public Liaison: Name: Doloras Johnson Email Address: vacofoiaservice@va.gov Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) Email Address: ogis@nara.gov Fax: 202-741-5769 Mailing address: National Archives and Records Administration 8601 Adelphi Road College Park, MD 20740-6001 A\11 ICA PVERSIGHT Mehreen Rasheed Page 4 May 27, 2020 FOIA Appeal This concludes OSVA's IAD to FOIA request 20-05139-F. Please be advised that should you desire to do so, you may appeal the determination made in this response to: Office of General Counsel (024) Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 If you should choose to file an appeal, please include a copy of this letter with your written appeal and clearly indicate the basis for your disagreement with the determination set forth in this response. Please be advised that in accordance with VA's implementing FOIA regulations at 38 C.F.R. ? 1.559, your appeal must be postmarked no later than ninety (90) days of the date of this letter. Sincerely, Richard Ha, JD, CIPP/G OSVA FOIA Officer Attachments - seventy-one (71) redacted pages A\11 ICA PVERSIGHT 5 From: rb)( ) Se nt: Wed, 19 Feb 2020 23:53:35 +0000 RLWJb)(6) 1(b)(5) r EOP/NscJ,__ (b)_<6_ ) _ IEoP/WHO I To : Cc: Subject: Attachment s: ___,~OP/NSC (b)(6) Secretary Wilkie, 1~)( 5) Respectfully, Kb)(6) 202-456- f b)(6) I I Assistant to the President & Deput y National Security Advisor The White House AMEf ICAr--.. pVERSIGHT 1 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000001 (b)(6) 2 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000002 UNCLASSIFIED//FOROFFICIAL USEONLY PRE-DECISIONALAND DELIBERATIVEDRAFT U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT U.S. Government Response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) (b)(5) AMEf U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT Current as of: February 14, 2020 pVERSIGHT 3 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000003 U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT (b)(S) AMEf U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT Current as of: February 14, 2020 pVERSIGHT 2 4 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000004 U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT (b)(S) AMEf U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT Current as of: February 14, 2020 pVERSIGHT 3 5 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000005 U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT (b)(5) AMlf U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT Current as of: February 14, 2020 pVERSIGHT 4 6 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000006 U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT l~l(S) AMEf U//FOUO Pre -decisional DRAFT Current as of: February 14, 2020 pVERSIGHT 5 7 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000007 Publ ic Health lnfrastucture Trans arenc and Risk Criteria (b)(5) AMERICAN PVERSIGHT 8 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000008 Public Health lnfrastucture, Press Freedom, and Risk Criteria b)(5) AMERICAN OVERSIGHT 'GHSI Heath Sys~ems Score 9 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000009 Public Health lnfrastucture, Flu Reporting, and Risk Criteria (b)(5) AMERICAN PVERSIGHT 10 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000010 11 of 71 12 of 71 13 of 71 3 {b){53 14 of 71 (b)(5) AM~t ll.., =,1/ ~,r-,.. ~ ------------------------ pvERSIGHT 15 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000015 {bl{5l 16 of 71 U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT U.S. Government Response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) February 19 Task Force Decisions for Deliberation (b)(5) AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT 1 17 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000017 U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT (b)(5) U//FOUO Pre-decisional DRAFT AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT 2 18 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000018 From : Sent : RLW Sun, 23 Feb 2020 23:08:18 +0000 f bl(6) EOP/WH .,.,, O""" (b,,,... l(_6l___ I To : Cc: b)(6l ""O ...,P .........,_, N=-r-.,...,.,,,..---. 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Robett WIikie Secretary Sent with B lack:Berry Work (www.blackberry.com) EOP/WHO lii::vi~ -----,.,.., c=o~c= ;o~DID/NCEZID/DGMQ (bl(6l ralnsc.eo . ov>, b)(6) ,i;.,.;...,;....--~ :=======---,; ~,;--~ ~ .......,-===-=-=-= -=-=-= w ..,..t.::-: H'.:'" M ~0=-1'.:"'. w"':': H ~M ~U l::-b-:-:: )(6::-:) ---...J > cdc. gov) EOP/OMB 0 >, DL Chi efofSt aff (b)(6) (6) .....-J' a;,.=~.=.== ;::.._i.;..;.;,..;....___ o~v fb )(6) h.~av) = ==='---'-- >f~(b_)(6_) ___ ~ . EO AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT 19 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000019 kb)(6) ov>, 1 ~----~ 0 ov> """= ======= ~~~~ Mu lvaney, mail.mil>, 0 (b)(5 ) -~~,_ := !.!! .2. ""L=_=-_-=_,=~=-=-=_=_ d: _::: _j ::::;;:~~~o ~ L(b_)(6_>__.,,..-:-;;;-:--- = ~ ==~ @cdc.gov> (b)(5 ) C >, RLw v>~ b)(6) OP/N ov> p ) '----,,,....,..,.,,,---' ....... _... _ ...,,___ ___ f b)(6) _J b)(6) ov )(6) E ~~..,....,.-,,--r,......,...,,.J ~ ~'-'.;-=;~_=-;AC . TION: Please Review by 6:3 Sent from my iPhone On Feb 23, 2020, at 11:47 PM,,__f bl_(5>__ i(b)(6 ) ~nsc.eop.gov > wrote : __,IEOP/NSC Good Even in g W HTF, b)(5) Than k you, f b)(6) ~ MS 1re cto r for Count ering Biological Thr eat s National Security Council 202.456 .fb@l(O) 202.88 ~ AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT cell) 20 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000020 DMB) ?56.60 . DU 21 of T1 From : Sent : To : Subject: Thu, 19 Mar 2020 20:19:49 +0000 RLW [EXTERNAL] RE: NOLA COVID From : RLW ~va.gov> Sent : Thursday, March 19, 2020 4""':~18~ PM -'-'------, To : f b)(6) ~ EOP/WHO l(b)(5) Subject: FW: NOLA COVID 5 r b)( ) lyou see below NOLA ~who .eop.gov> (b)(S) (b)(5) (>www.blackberry.com <) From : Powers , Pamela Date: Th irs y, Mar 19, 2020 , 4:14 PM To: RL (b)(5 ) va. ov> Subject: NOLA COVID l(b)(5) Sir, for vour LA call: Thev have th~ b)(5) I Pamela Powers Veterans Affairs Chief of Staff b 6 Office: 202-4 b)(6) ChooseVA AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT 22 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000022 Sent: RLW Thu, 19 Mar 2020 20:39:34 +0000 To: ~b)(6) From : Cc: Subject: I EOP/WHO owers, Pamela FW: Private Hospital Cancellations - NOLA Y, hospital systems in New Orleans still doing elective surgeries. See below- they are all bigger than we are (except Tulane). Sent with Black:Berry Work (www.b lackberry.com) From: ~(b)(6) @va.gov> Date: Thu~ ~ Mar 19, 2020, 4 :26 PM To: RL W ~ @va.gov> Subject: FW: Private Hospital Cancellations - NOLA FYI 5 From: f b)(5) I. (NOLA) f bl( ) l@va.gov> Date: Thursda:, Mar 19, 2020, 3:24 PM To : j(b)(6 ) ~va.gov> SubJecf: F W : nvate Hosp,tal Cancellations - NOLA Update status: Och sner - case by case, dete1mination on policy change is imminent E Jeff - pat ient/doctor dec ision, no systemwide chang es Tulan e - (still working on it) Children ' s - no elective surgery l(b)(6) 1 ceu11v1eu1ca1 ce,ner rnr ector Southeast Louisiana Veterans HCS From : ~-(b_)(5_) ____ ~1(NOLA) Sent: Monday, March 16, 2020 12 :03 PM To: ~b)(6) l@va.gov> Subject: Private Hospital Cancellations - NOLA AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT 23 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000023 Following up on our conversation from earlier. Below is the latest on 5 large private hospitals in the New Orleans area . Ochsner leadership is discussing postponing some surgical cases but has made no announcement yet. Children's - right now at the discretion of surgeon; head of OR was asked to submit a list of cases that could be postponed. Decision on that will probably happen today. UMC has cancelled elective procedures Tulane - discussion is ongoing, working out the parameters of "elective." E Jeff - no changes yet to OR but have closed their wellness center. CEO/Medical Center Director Southeast Louisiana Vetertans HCS AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT 24 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000024 From: Se nt: To : l(b)(6) IEOP/WHcfb)(6) {HHS/OASH)fb)(5) EOP/OVP;l(b)(6) ~OP/WHOJb )(6) Birx, Deborah L. EOP/NSC Sat, 21 Mar 2020 10:56:22 +0000 5)-:-:=--~ !(b)(6) !EOP/OVP. b)(6) EOP/NSC,,_ b_)(= .........,, -govl(b)(6) 5 5 IEOP/WHO (b)() EOP/WHO;(b)( ) IEOP OVP b)(6) . EOP'-,,W ..,...,.,....,. 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Seating chart and age nd a attached. Thank you, AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT 27 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000027 rb)(6) J Operat10ns Coor inator, White House Coronavirus Task Force Executive Assista nt to the Chief of Staff The Office of the Vice Pres ident (202)881 ~ AMERICAr--.. pVERSIGHT 28 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000028 March 20 Data 29 of T1 March 20 data for Italy 30 of T1 March 20 data for Germany (W5) 31 of T1 March 20 data for USA 32 of T1 March 20 data for South Korea - note active cases not cumulative (b)(5) AMcHICAN PVERSIGHT 33 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000033 Stateswiththe highestrunberof mc:&>fb )(S) I b)(5) fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors,as of 18:58 March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 34 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000034 Cou . rnco J(b)(S) I the highestnumberof (b)(5) fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors,as of 18:58March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 35 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000035 Newr::--e=.,..----, I \/ __ .Jb )(S) (b)(S) I 11----------------------------------------------~ 36 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000036 1 A'-,::: ,inaton (b)(5) fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors,as of 18:58 March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 37 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000037 b)(5) fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors,as of 18:58March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 38 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000038 (W5) Sour-5e: Conference of STme Bank Supervisors, as of 18158 March 20, ZOZODOM soured from sTa?re heulTh depur?l'mem? websiTes: r?epor?Ting may be incomplete or delayed 39 of T1 New l(tii(5)l J erse\l' " . I (b)(5) fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors,as of 18:58March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 40 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000040 Florida b)(5) fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors, as of 18:58 March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 4 1 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000041 (b)(5) fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors,as of 18:58March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 42 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000042 J?Qujsiana Sour-5e: Conference of STme Bonk Supemsors, as of 18158 March dUdUDam surced 43 of 71 from sTa?re heulTh depor?l'mem websiTes: r?epor?Tir?g may be incomplete or delayed r (b)(S) ._ " "' fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors,as of 18:58 March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 44 of 7 1 VA-20-0509-A-000044 (b)(5) fro \i" at ERSVGes ;rewr-t r Source:Conferenceof State BankSupervisors,as of 18:58March20, 2020.Data sourced troy be incomplete or delayed 45 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000045 (W5) Alli:- 1 46 of T1 Trendsin Reported CasesSinoe 2/29/2020 4T0fTi Birx, Debo rah L. EOP/NSC Sun, 22 Mar 2020 12:18:38 +0000 5 To : !(b)(6) IEOP/OV~(b)(6) IEOP/NscJb l(5l l@hhs.go~(bl( l 5J ~ EOP/WHof bJ< IEoP/WHO; .,,... bJ ,< ..,., 6:;:: J ===::::::'......, EOP/ ':"-:"""".===~ .___ _ From: Sent : {HHS/OASH) b)(6) EOP/OVP; (b)(6) ~EOP/WH b)(5) . EOP/OVP; (b)(6) 5 /WHO ~b~)(6~ )~..'.:..1~~0:-:P:-:/;:"".N-=-sc-=;~b~ )('6i EOP/WHO (b)(6) treasury._gov(b)(5) OP/WHO;Kushner, Jared C. EOP/WHOJb)(6) ____. _)-=_:::::! ............................... . (__. b).._ (6._, ) 1-------' EOP/OV b)(5) IEOP/WHO (b)(5) (b)(6) ~ EOP/OVP; b)(6) hhs.govJ b)(6) @dot.go ~(b)(6) l@mail.house .gov b)(6) . , EOP/WHO ; b)(6) @HHS.GOV~@treasur . ov. (b)(6) ~-@hhs. ov b)(6) @state .gov (b)( @fda EOP/WHO b)(6) @cdc.gov;AFAUCl@niaid.nih.gov/b l(5) .hhs.gov; b)(6) hq.dhs.gov !(b)(6) e)cms.hhs . ov.RLW. (b)(6) EOP/WHO (b)(6) ~ EOP/OMB (b)(6) EOP/OVP b)(5) EOP/WHO (b)(6) EOP/WHO b)(6) EOP/WHO; (b)(6) '---------~ 5 5 6 fema.dhs.gov .._ b_)(_l __ ~ hhs.gov~mail.house.gov j(b)( ) EOP/WH b)( ) EOP/WHO b)(5) '------~ EOP/WHO; b)(6) @treasury.gov. i:.._ b.:..:. )<6...:.. )---lii'. ~ --~~, Y.gov ._ .LL: ('-'C b).,__ (6') --,r----___J EOP/WH b)(5) EOP/WHou;:(bNl )(5tt)-~'----i:-: O:-:P':"7 /0= v:--:'. P =;-'Eb=;o; )(,;;;, 6)d...___:_ _ ____:::===;----~ EOP/WH EOP/WH ~----COMMS . (b)(6) Speechwnters l(b)(6) ~dot ..... g_o_v""" b"""' )(6...) ___ 6 {OS/OASH) b)( ) sd.mil; ,.... b_)(6;,;;)~======; OP/OVP; ~l (b_)<6_l __ ..-::--, f::-' ;"" sd.mi l (b)(6) @sd.mil b)(6) ~IEOP/WH':'-:O ~;f:b: )(6=) ===~~===..1'-: E :--:: O:-:P :--:: /W -:-::-: H-::-0 -:: ;D'."':"L WHO . ov (b)(6) ov. (b)(5) hhs.gov; (b)(6) OP/W HO..,__ b)-(6-) @dot.gov j(b)(6) I ----1 . o EOP/WHO; (b)(6) Hoosier Calen ar; OP/OVP;(b)(6) .,,...,...,,-------, ._ EOP/WHOfb )(6) EOP/OM B._______ __.EOP/NSC Subject: [EXTERNAL] White House Coronavirus Task Force Meeting Attachments : TaskForce22March.pptx Cc: I ____ EOP/WHO _. Summary as a read ahead . New Highlights - comparator of th' b)(S) (b)(6) kb_)(6_) ______ ~ AMlf ICAr--.. pVERSIGHT ~1 LJeb 48 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000048 COVID-19 case data -Task Force 22 March Data as of March 21, 2020 AMERICAN pVERSIGHT 49 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000049 Global data from 21 March and 22 March 0.00 GMT (b)(S) AMf::HICAN pVERSIGHT 50 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000050 Germany {b){5l 51 of 71 Italy 52 of 71 United States 53 of 71 United States 21 March and 22 March 0.00 GMT (b)(5) AMf::HICAN pVERSIGHT 54 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000054 (b)(5) Flu Surveillance- b)(5) May 1, 20 AMf::HICAN pVERSIGHT 55 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000055 Flu activity and COVID19 activity . (b)(5) b)(5) b)(5) VirginIslands AMf::HICAN pVERSIGHT 56 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000056 COVID-19 confirmed cases b)(5) Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21, 2020.Datasourcedfromstatehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 57 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000057 Countieswiththe highestnumberof casesb)(S) I o b)(5) Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21,2020.Data sourcedfromstate health pVERSlcIFr r "- 58 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000058 Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21, 2020.Datasourcedfromstatehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 59 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000059 (b)(5) f::HICAN pVERSIGHT 18Source:CooferenceofState Bank SUperviscrs, as ofMardi 21,2020.Dala soorced fiomstatehealthdepartment 'Ne!::stes; reportirgmaybe irmmplete 60 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000060 Washington 61 of 71 b)(5) I- Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21, 2020.Datasourcedfromstatehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 62 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000062 Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21, 2020.Datasourcedfromstatehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 63 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000063 New JerseJbl<5l l (b)(5) Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21,2020.Datasourcedfromstatehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 64 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000064 .." ''"' b)(5) Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21,2020.Datasourcedfromstate health pVERSlcIFr r "- 65 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000065 Colorado (b)(5) Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21, 2020.Datasourcedfromstatehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 66 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000066 Louisiana (b)(5) Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21,2020.Datasourcedfromstatehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 67 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000067 r-.eoraia b)(5) Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupervisors , as of March21, 2020.Datasourcedfromstatehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 68 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000068 ~ (b)(5) Souroo:Conferenceof StateBankSupel'VlSOl'S , as of March21,2020.Datasourcedfrom statehealth pVERSlcIFr r "- 69 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000069 Trends in Reported Cases in Top 20 Counties Since 1/22/2020 (b)(5) \Mt:HICAN OVERS~GHT Source. http-//ysafactsorg/as of 3/ 21/2020 70 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000070 Trends in Reported Cases Since 3/1/2020 b)(5) AMf::HICAN OVERSIGHT Source. http-1/usatacts org/as of 3/21/202 0 71 of 71 VA-20-0509-A-000071 .. VA U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of General Counsel Information and Administrative Law Group 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington DC 20420 www .va .gov/ogc In Reply Refer To: ILG/024N OGC Case# 147559 FOIA Request# 20-05139F July 8, 2020 Austin Evers Executive Director American Oversight 1030 15th Street , NW Suite B255 Washington , DC 20005 Dear Mr. Evers : This letter is the final administrative decision under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) , 5 U.S.C. § 552 , concerning your June 9 , 2020 , emailed appeal. Procedural History Initial Request By letter dated March 5 , 2020 , you submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Central Office FOIA Servi ce, requesting the following: All email communications (including emails , complete email chains , email attachments , calendar invitations, and calendar invitation attachments) between (a) Secretary Robert Wilkie or anyone serving as White House Liaison or agency point of contact for the coronavirus task · force , and (b) the Executive Office of the President (EOP) officials listed belo w : i. Vice President Mike Pence i. National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien iii. Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger iv . Assistant to th e President and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff Robert Blai r v. Assistant to the President and Director of the Domesti c Policy Co unci l Joseph Grogan A~f HICAN pVERSIGHT 2. Austin Evers vi. Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Coordination Christopher 'Liddell vii. Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow viii. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx ix. Press Secretary Katie Miller (formerly Katie Waldman) x. Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Kelvin Droegmeier Initial Agency Decision On May 27, 2020, Richard Ha, FOIA Officer, Office of the Secretary, provided 71 pages of responsive material in redacted form; in an accompanying letter, he explained that material was redacted pursuant to the presidential communications and the deliberative process privileges within Exemption 5 and under Exemption 6 (5 U.S.C. §§ 552(b)(5),(b)(6)). Fees The assessment of fees is not an issue for resolution in this case. Appeal In your appeal, you argue that the redacted material based upon FOIA Exemption 5 was improper. First, you assert that the responsive records reveal that they were shared with Congress; you argue that because Congress is not an agency under the FOIA, the records do not meet the threshold requirement of FOIA Exemption 5 that the records are "inter~agency" records. Next, you argue that information in the responsive records may not be redacted under the "consultant corollary" theory, which protects information generated in the course of an agency's relationship with a consultant. In this regard, you assert that members of Congress or their staff are not neutral parties, given that Congress was in the midst of addressing the coronavirus pandemic response bill; you also note that a suggestion that members of Congress or their staff are acting akin to neutral agency employees conflicts with the congressional prohibition against members of either house of Congress serving as officers of the United States contained in the Incompatibility clause of the Constitution. Further, you assert that the presidential communications privilege protects only communications that the president believes should remain confidential and only to the extent they are with his immediate advisers and their staff. In this regard, you again point out that members of Congress or their staffs cannot serve both Congress and the president, and that the documents, accordingly, are not protected by the presidential communications privilege. With regard to the application of Exemption 6, you find it "doubtful" that members of Congress or their staff have a privacy interest in their email addresses; you also argue that members of Congress or their staff do not ti.av~ privacy interest in their names as they communicate with the executive branch regarding a matter of grave national concern and that even if they did maintain a privacy interest, it is AM[ HICAN PVERSIGHT 3. Austin Evers outweighed by the public interest. You conclude that within the records and information withheld, VA should release the names and or emails of the individuals communicating with "mail.house.gov" email addresses in the records at issue. Based on the narrow focus of your appeal regarding the withholdings under Exemption 6, we are limiting our consideration of that exemption to the individuals associated with "mail.house.gov" email addresses. Relevant Law The FOIA provides that federal agencies must disclose records requested unless they may be withheld in accordance with one or more of nine statutory exemptions . 5 U.S.C. § 552(b). FOIA Exemption 5 protects communications among the President and his advisers; the privilege applies to the documents in their entirety and applies to both pre-decisional and post-decisional material. The privilege applies to documents solicited and received by the President or his immediate White House advisers who have "broad and significant responsibility for investigating and formulating the advice to be given to the President." Judicial Watch, Inc. v. DOJ, 365 F. 3d 1108 (D.C. Cir. 2004) . See also In re Sealed Case, 121 F. 3d 729 (D.C .Cir. 1997). FOIA Exemption 5 also protects "inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency ." 5 U .S.C . § 552(b)(5). Exemption 5 encompasses statutory privileges and those commonly recognized by case law. United States v. Weber Aircraft Corp., 465 U.S . 792, 800 (1984) . . Exemption 5 applies to an inter- or intraagency record, including information generated by an outside expert. Dep't of the Interior v Klamath Water Users Protective Ass 'n, 532 U.S. 1 (2001 ). FOIA Exemption 5 privileges include the deliberative process privilege, the general purpose of which is to "prevent injury to the quality of agency decisions." NLRB v . Sears, Roebuck & Co ., 421 U.S. 132, 151 (1975). Three policy purposes have been held to constitute the bases for this privilege: (1) to encourage open, frank discussions on matters of policy between subordinates and superiors; (2) to protect against premature disclosure of proposed policies before they are actually adopted; and (3) to protect against public confusion that might result from disclosure of reasons and rationales that were not in fact ultimately the grounds for an agency's action. Russell v . Dep'tofthe Air Force, 682 F.2d 1045, 1048 (D .C. Ci~. .1,a.82). The deliberative process privilege is designed to protect the "decision making processes of AM[ HICAN PVERSIGHT 4. Austin Evers government agencies ." Sears, 421 U.S. at 150. This privilege protects not merely documents, but the integrity of the deliberative process itself where the exposure of that process would result in harm. Two requirements must be met to invoke the deliberative process privilege: first, the record must be pre-decisional, i.e., antecedent to the adoption of agency policy. Ancient Coin Collector's Guild v. U.S. Dep't. of State, 641 F.3d 504 (D.C. Cir. 2011 ). Second, the document must be deliberative in that it makes recommendations or expresses opinions on legal or policy matters and are related to the process by which agency policy is formulated; it must be part of the agency's deliberative process by which the decision itself is made. Vaughn v. Rosen, 523 F. 2d 1136 (D.C. Cir. 1975); Brennan Ctr. for Justice at New York Univ. Sch . Of Law v. DOJ, 697 F. 3d 184 (2d Cir. 2012). . FOIA Exemption 6 covers "personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unw~rranted invasion of personal privacy. " 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6) . In United States Department of Justice v. Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 489 U.S. 749 (1989), the Supreme Court provided the following step-by-step analysis to determine when the exemptions apply to a case: (1) determine whether a personal privacy interest is involved; (2) determine whether disclosure would serve the public interest; and (3) balance the personal privacy interest against the public interest. Analysis At the outset, we point out that 41 pages that were withheld at the initial level are being released in full on appeal; one additional page is being released in part. The pages are enclosed. · The documents identified as responsive to your FOlA request contain information that falls within the protection of Exemption 5. First, the documents represent intra-agency memoranda, and thus meet the exemption's threshold requirement. We acknowledge your observation that the email addresses to which the responsive material was sent included two "mail.house.gov'' email addresses, which you argue prohibits the application of Exemption 5 to the material. We have researched this issue, and we conclude otherwise . We have learned that the email addresses were assigned to individuals on the White House staff who were functioning as White House employees on or before March 21, ,202~, the date their 1 names first appear as email recipients; these individuals were n'ot functioning as both congressional and White house staff. The sender's intent in including these email AM[ HICAN PVERSIGHT 5. Austin Evers addresses was to provide the information to White House staff, not congressional staff, and presuming receipt, the information was received by the individuals in their capacity as White House staff. Accordingly, the email was not distributed outside of the executive branch. Lastly, we note that the email addresses as written are currently invalid, and it is unclear whether they were valid at the time they were included in the task force ·recipient addresses . Even if they were valid at that time and were received, however, the status of the individuals as White House staff renders this consideration immaterial. In light of the foregoing, we conclude that the inclusion of the email addresses does not preclude the application of Exemption 5. With regard to the withheld information in this case, we conclude that the material is protected in part under the presidential communications privilege under FOIA Exemption 5. The documents consist of communications among task force members functioning as advisers to the President regarding the assessment and handling of the coronavirus outbreak. The withheld pages reflect options and plans to address the virus and handle its spread; the task force designed possible responses based on the course of the virus and consideration of relevant factors . The information withheld also includes discussions within VA and between VA and the task force regarding issues such as the availability of beds in a VA facility. Overall, the withheld information represents officials' analyses of the situation and their thoughts and recommendations regarding potential scenarios and responses to the pandemic; the material reflects the advice and guidance compiled by presidential advisers to inform the judgment of the government on the effective management of the coronavirus . Accordingly , the information is protected under the presidential communications privilege. Within FOIA Exemption 5, VA also may withhold a document or information contained within a document under the deliberative process privilege, which, as noted above , is designed to protect the decision-making processes within federal agencies. Sears, 421 U.S. at 150. Overall, the deliberative process privilege supports an agency's ability to encourage open, frank discussions on matters of policy between subordinates and superiors, to protect against premature disclosure of proposed policies before they are actually adopted, and to protect against public confusion that might result from disclosure of reasons and rationales that were not in fact the grounds for an agency's ultimate action. Exemption 5 protects the agency's decisionmaking process and the integrity of the deliberative process itself. Further, as a matter of Federal policy, the agency must state an articulable, foreseeable harm to the agency or its activities that could occur as a result of release of the document or information . ., .,,,.r AM[ HICAN PVERSIGHT 6. Austin Evers We note that the responsive records in this case were created by a task force designed to assist and advise the President, and qualify as an intra-agency memorandum under the deliberative process privilege. The email exchanges and analyses being withheld in this case were prepared antecedent to the adoption of policy; the very nature of the documents is to provide information to be considered by the task force members to assess relevant factors and weigh options to address the coronavirus pandemic. The material is thus pre-decisional in it serves to inform the options available to the President and his advisers as they evaluated how to proceed in addressing the pandemic . The material also is deliberative insofar as it relates to the process by which policy was formulated to combat the coronavirus; the documents represent the task force 's ongoing consideration of various factors regarding the virus generally and options available to contain its spread. The emails and attachments being withheld contain the thoughts, opinions, and recommendations of those responsible for studying the pandemic and potential responses . Release of this information would cause injury to the deliberative process. In evaluating the harm to the deliberative process, we must consider the context in which the documents are used. Wolfe v. Department of Health and Human Services, 839 F. 2d 768 (D.C. Cir. 1988). In this case, release of deliberations may disclose information upon which recommendations on proposed polices may or may not be made or adopted; such a release would foster potentially erroneous conclusions and create public confusion from disclosure of information that ultimately, may not be or may not have been the grounds for the government's action. Further, given the continued presence of the pandemic in the United States and the continued relevance of the task force, the deliberations in the withheld records may have continued significance to an ongoing analysis of the coronavirus and the government's response . The responsive records also include information protected under Exemption 6. Note that the meaning of a personnel file is construed to include a file that applies to a "particular individual." United States Department of State v. Washington Post Co., 456 U.S. 595 (1982~. As addressed above, you only appeal application of Exemption 6 to the names associated with the "mail.house .gov" email addresses. In this case, the records contain the names of employees associated with the task force's review of the coronavirus; we conclude that the record represents a personnel file and meets the threshold requirement in this case. Further, we conclude that individuals associated with the task force have a significant privacy interest in being named or otherwise associated with the ongoing events in this case. The individuals have a significant interesfin their identities and their association with tas~,force activity. We stress that career public servants retain personal privacy interests in the discharge of their public duties . Further, they retain a privacy interest in statements that are made AM[ HICAN PVERSIGHT 7. Austin Evers in the course of the investigation; release of their identities could result in harassment of these individuals themselves. Wilson v. Dep't of Transp., 730 F. Supp. 2d 140 (b.D.C. 2010). In this case, the employees have an interest in bejng protected against the risk of annoyance and harassment or other potential repercussions, such as negative reactions to their participation. An analysis regarding disclosure of information under exemption (b)(6) also includes consideration of whether disclosure would serve the public interest. As noted in Reporter's Committee, we must balance the personal privacy interest against the · public interest. In evaluating the public interest, we focus on the nature of the requested documents and their relationship to the public interest generally. We must consider whether disclosure of the requested information, or portions thereof that have been withheld, would "open agency action to the light of public scrutiny" rather than focus on the particular purpose for which the document is being requested. Reporter's Committee, 489 U.S. at 772. We find no evidence that the names withheld would serve an articulable and significant public interest, and you have not identified a public interest in the individuals identified in the records that would outweigh their privacy interest. We find no connection between public interest, or shedding light on government activity, and the identities of these individuals associated with task force. Conclusion The responsive documents addressed in this decision were properly withheld under FOIA Exemptions 5 and 6; aside from the documents being released with this decision, we affirm the determination of the Office of ~he Secretary and deny your appeal. Mediation and Appeal Rights This final agency decision concludes the administrative processing of your requests referred to above. As part of the 2007 FOIA amendments, the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) was created to offer mediation services. Similarly, as part of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, VA established a FOIA Public Liaison to offer mediation services. Both OGIS and the VA Public Liaison will assist in resolving disputes between FOIA requesters and VA as a non-exclusive alternative to litigation. Using OGIS or the VA FOIA Public Liaison does not affect your right to pursue litigation. You may contact OGIS or the VA Public Liaison in any of the following ways: AM[ HICAN PVERSIGHT 8. Austin Evers Office of Government Information Services National Archives and Records Administration Room 2510 8601 Adelphi Road College Park, MD 20740-6001 E-mail: Telephone : Facsimile : Toll-free: VA FOIA Public Liaison: Deloras Johnson Director, VA FOIA Service 810 Vermont Avenue, NW (005R1C) Washington, DC 20420 E-mail: vacofoiaservice@va.gov Telephone : 877-750-3642 Facsimile: 202-632-7581 ogis@nara.gov 2027 41-5770 202-7 41-5769 877-684-6448 With respect to any information denied to you by this final agency decision, the FOIA requires us to advise you that if you believe the Department erred in this decision , you have the right to file a complaint in an appropriate United States District Court. Sincerely yours, - '(-' Brian P. Tierney Deputy Chief Counsel Information & Administrative Law Group cc: Richard Ha (001 B) Deloras Johnson - Director , VA FOIA Service Michael Sarich-VHA FOIA Office r Enclosure 42 pages ',. •..r AVU HICAN pVERSIGHT Flu Surveillance - can see early change around 7-8 March in ILi at ER in NYC Daily Influenza-like Illness+ Pneumonia Visits to NYC Emergency Departments: 2016-2020 1500 1000 500 3/19/2020 0 Oct1 , 19 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT Nov 1, 19 Dec 1, 19 Jan 1, 20 Feb 1, 20 Mar1 , 20 Apr 1, 20 May 1, 20 Page 55 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000001 ..- ...... 0 (0 IO Q) Cl (1l 0.. Q) u C: ro . C: ::::I V) O"'I "'""4 Q > • I .. ~ -·.. ,. !,-"\.• • .. Q) • . ' 1• t" 0 u Q) u C: ro Q) > L.. ::::, V) => _J u.. A LI ~AN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000002 COVID-19 case data -Task Force 22 March Data as of March 21, 2020 Page 49 of 71 AMERICAN PVERSIG T VA-20-0509-B-000003 Global data from 21 March and 22 March 0.00 GMT Country , 0th« Total ca- . Total o.atha New c .... NDeatlls Total Rec:over1'd Active Set1oua, ca- Crltlclll Toten"' 1M pop Country, Total New Otll■r ea... I c .... Se,foua, Toi Ce .. at ea... Critlc:al 1Mpop 56 4,825 11 ,072 42,681 2.857 886 +3,076 1,725 2,125 24,722 1,612 611 26,900 +2,693 348 178 26,374 708 81 Germany 23,129 +765 93 209 22.827 2 276 1nm 2 1,638 ♦1 ,028 1,685 7,635 12,318 Er,nq 14,459 582 1,587 12,310 3.255 71 ,740 6,013 1,927 56 Cllln 81,054 ru!I)' 53 ,578 +6 ,557 4,825 8,072 42,681 2,857 886 lllfr 53,578 Spain 25 ,496 +3 ,925 1,381 2,125 21 ,990 1,812 545 S111111 28 ,572 USA 24 ,207 +4 ,824 302 176 23,729 637 73 ~ Gtnnanr 22,364 +2 ,516 84 209 22 ,071 2 267 '"" 20 ,810 ♦966 1,556 7,635 11,419 245 ffllllO 14,459 +1,847 562 1,587 12,310 1,525 222 S Korea 11 ,799 +147 102 2,612 6,085 59 172 SW1tnr1J!ru:I 6,863 +1 ,248 80 131 6,652 141 793 UK 5,0 111 +1 ,035 233 93 4,692 20 74 l"eth«t11nd, 3 ,631 +637 136 2 3,493 354 212 AUIU'.ia 2,992 +343 8 9 2,975 15 332 e.1gIum 2,815 +558 67 263 2,485 288 243 P'l2MtY 2,164 •205 7 6 2,151 28 399 $~ 1,no ♦131 18 1,734 71 175 pVERSIGHT Active Recovered 1,845 +41 AMcHICAN Total Out lla 5,353 81,008 'II New 72.440 Ch1111 20 - Total Ou tha +46 +911 3,261 - S, Ko1u 8,897 S.ftiln!_land 7,225 UK 5,018 ~•ndt 3,631 Ug1U!I! 3,401 +586 75 - Autli'.II 3,024 +32 Norway 2.226 +62 Slffllln 1,no +362 104 - 2,909 5,1184 258 1,525 222 59 174 1135 131 7,014 141 233 93 4,692 20 74 136 2 3,493 354 212 263 3,063 288 293 II 9 3,007 15 338 7 6 2,213 28 411 20 16 1,734 71 175 19 14 1,295 110 Page 50 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000004 35 Germany TotalCoronavirusCasesin Germany DailyNewCasesin Germany linear DailyNewCases cas,~ ~rDay Total Cases (Lln,ar Seal,) Dataasof 0 00 GMT+0 25k Sk "' " 4k ;_ u .. 20k ..: u 2 15k .?- ;; o "' 2 ~ 3k ~C: eo 10k .. u g 2k 0 u j0 z logarithmic lk ----I••I •I I II IIII ~ Sk 0 • casu • Dally Cases AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT Page 51 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000005 Italy -rotalCoronavirusCases in Italy Daily New Casesin Italy linear loganlhmk: Daily New Cases Total Cases Cases per Day Data as of O 00 GMT...o 8k (LinearScale) 60k "' ::> :: 4k ~ C 0 0 u 0 • Cases • Dally Ca.ses AMcHICAN PVERSIGHT Page 52 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000006 United States Daily NewCasesin the UnitedStates hnear loganthrmc Daily NewCases Total Cases Casesper Oay (LinearScale) Dataas of o 00 GMT+O 30k 6k 25k "' ~ .. U 20k "' :, ic "' 2 e ~ lSk 8 C 0 . ii 10k '32k ~ "ii Sk ~ z 0 0 • • AMF.RICAN PVERSIGHT Cases Dally<:ases Page 53 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000007 United States 21 March and 22 March 0.00 GMT USA State Total Cases New Cases New Deaths Total Deaths Active Cases Total Recovered 10,316 USA State New York Total Cases .. New Cases 12,324 10,372 +1,974 56 Washington 1,793 +269 94 124 1,575 Washington 1,793 California 1,391 +184 24 6 1,361 California 1,519 New Jersey 1,327 +437 16 1,311 New Jersey 1,327 Michigan 787 +235 5 782 Michigan 808 Illinois 753 +168 6 745 Louisiana Florida 659 +96 12 647 Louisiana 585 +48 16 Georgia 555 +70 14 Massachusetts 525 +112 1 Colorado 476 +113 Texas 473 +79 Pennsylvania 391 +88 Tennessee 371 +138 New York AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT 2 1 5 5 :■ 4 New Deaths Total Deaths +1,952 ~ Active Cases -94 +128 Total Recovered 28 - 12,248 124 1,575 6 1,485 16 1,311 +21 8 800 763 +178 20 743 Flor ida 763 +104 13 750 569 Illinois 753 541 Texas 559 523 Georgia 555 471 Massachusetts 529 464 Colorado 476 389 Pennsylvania 405 370 Tennessee 371 +86 6 2 745 5 11 543 535 20 +4 +14 2 1 526 6 470 2 403 1 370 Page 54 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000008 March 20 Data Country, Other Total New c, ... Cases Total Deaths New Deaths Activ e Caaes Total Recovered Serious, Critical Tot CHes/ 1M pop USA State 56 kh!nl 80,967 +39 3,248 71 ,150 6,569 2,136 ltalY 47,021 +5,986 4,032 5,129 37,860 2.655 Sl!lln 21,571 +3,494 1,093 1.588 18,890 Gill!WlY 19,848 +4,528 68 180 19,600 kin 19,644 +1,237 1,433 6,745 11,466 ~ 19,383 +5,594 256 147 18,980 64 59 E!IMI 12,612 +1,617 450 1,587 10,575 1,297 ~ 8,652 +87 94 2,233 6,325 liwl~rJ1n!l 5,615 +1,393 56 15 UK 3,983 +714 1n t:111b11rlanst1 2,994 +534 Allmll 2,649 lllJglllm ~y Total New c .... 1, Ca.sea Now Total Death• Death• Active Total Recovered Ca1e1 8,352 New York 8,398 +3,031 46 n8 Washington 1,524 +148 83 124 1,317 939 461 Callfomla 1,207 +198 23 6 1,178 2 237 New Jersey 890 +148 11 234 Illinois 585 +163 5 Florida 563 +146 11 552 193 Michigan 552 +216 3 549 59 169 Loui siana 537 +145 14 523 5,544 141 649 Georgi a 485 +198 14 471 65 3,741 20 59 Massa chu setts 413 +85 106 2 2,886 210 175 Texaa 394 +110 5 +470 6 9 2,634 14 294 Colorado 363 +85 4 2,257 +462 37 - 204 2,0 16 164 195 Pennsylvania 303 +96 302 1,959 +169 7 1,951 27 361 Tennessee 233 +79 233 Wisconsin 210 +51 879 2 578 411 3 - 4 385 359 206 Page 29 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000009 March 20 data for Italy Total Coronav irus Cases in Italy Daily New Cases in Italy linear IOganthrmc Daily New Cases Tota l Cases Cases per Day Data as of 0 .00 GMT +O ( Linear Scale) 50k ~ 8k .. 40k ~ 3 u ;. .. ::i ~C 0 30k ~> .. 0 .. 0 u ~ 6k .?- !Ok 4k C: 20k e 0 V - ~ Ftb 19 2k z • Cases· 3 - - - - - - • •I • I I - c ases • II IIIIII IIII I Dally case s Page 30 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000010 March 20 data for Germany Total Coronavirus Cases in Germany Daily New Cases in Germany linear toganthmlC Daily New Cases Tota l Cases Cases per Day Data as of 0 00 GMT +0 (Linear Scale) Sk 25k ~ ~ ,. .... ~ 2Ok u ~ u ;;; 0 2 !Sk s .. ~ e 0 0 ,... 3k 2 > ,. C u ;; •k ~ C !Ok e 2k 0 u .; i Sk lk z - I - - 0 ..,_.., v ..._o, 'l,'- '\,..., ....... .._.y, ,._tY' .._ ,._tY' .._.y, ...~ • Cases ,: ■ • II II II I I ".!' • Da lly Cases Page 31 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000011 March 20 data for USA Total Coronavirus Cases in the United States Daily New Cases in the United States linear IOQanttvnlC Daily New Cases Total Cases Cases per Dav +o Data as of o·ooG'-11" (Linear Sale ) 6k 2 Sk .. ~ .... u > ..2 ~ ~ 20k u :?: ii 4k ~ ~ 0 lSk ~ 2 > ... C e 0 u C e !Ok 0 u -;;; 0 .... 2k .; ~ Sk z 0 \.? • C:uos ~ - - ,... <' , .? • - • ■ ■ III I I II Dally Cases Page 32 of 71 AMF.RICAN PVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000012 March 20 data for South Korea - note active cases not cumulative Active Cases in South Korea Daily New Cases in South Korea Active Cases Daily New Cases (Number of lnfectod Pooplol Cases per D~y Data as of o 00 GMT-'-0 8k 1000 .. ~ ~ u ii!;;; 750 0 ~ .. 2 > 500 I1h1.l111111 C e B Iz zso 0 • Currontly lnf octod • I I hIiII e Dally Cases Page 33 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000013 States withthe hghest runber of 55% of all new cases in NY50%of all new cases in NYC aJSJ?.S"l 5 400) 2(XX) Mlrch-16 • M:rch-17• Mlrch-18 • Mlrch-19 • Mlrch-20 Soiree: Conferern of State BankSupervisors.as of 18:58lw:rd, fromstate heath depcrlmentwebsites;reportirg maybe i~e 20,2020.Dataso.reed or delaye.d Page 34 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000014 Counties with the highest number of cases 151 3CXX) Norch-16■ Mcrch--17 ■ Norch-18■ Norch-19 ■ Norch-20 Saree: Confereraof Srote Baik~. as of 18:58Merci, 20, 2020.Data~ fromstate hedth depa11Wlt websites;reportirgmaybe i~eor delayed Page 35 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000015 New York 0 300'.) M::rch-16 M::rch-l7SarcE:CaierErreof51ole.&rk~ ,asofllitiBNacnal, ■ Norch-18 ■ Norch-19 ■ Norch-al a:m.D:dos:1.rc:m::mstcremithciµJ t11,ent~~mvbe~a~ Page 36 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000016 Washirgton 800 400 Non::h-16■ Nach-17 ■ Non::h-18■ Non::h-19■ Non::h-20 Soiree: Confererr::e of State Ba-I< Super,isors . as of 18:58 Mcrch20, 2020.Data so.reed from state hedth depcrtment websites;re;,ortirg mat be i~e or delayed Page 37 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000017 Califomia 800 400 200 Mlrt:h-16 • Mn:h-17 • Mlrt:h-18 ■ Mlrt:h-19 ■ Mlrt:h-tD Sotrce: ConfererceofState Sm<~. asof 18:58Mad, 20, 2020.Datasarced fromstate healthdepa-tment websites; report~ maybe i~e or delayed Page 38 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000018 ~ 0 400 200 0 Norch-16■ Nach-17 ■ Norch-18 ■ Norch-19 ■ Norch-20 Soiree: Confere,u.of State Ben<~as of 18:58 Mcrch20, 2020.Datoso.reed fromsrote heath depcrlmentwebsites; rq,ortirg maybe i~e or delayed Page 39 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000019 400 200 Mln::h-16• M:rch-17■ Mln::h-18 ■ Mln::h-19 ■ Mln::h-20 So.rce : Confererce.of State BmkSuper;isorS , asof 18:58.Yach 20, 2020.Dataso.rced fromstate ne.dthdepa1ment websites;~irg maybe i~e Of' delayed Page 40 of 7 1 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000020 Florioo 800 400 200 Norch-16■ iYach-17■ Norch-18■ Norch-19■ Norch-20 Saree: ConfererceofState Ba-I< ~ .as of 18:58Nam 20.2020.DataSl0\rCed or delayed fromstate heath depcrtmentwebsites; reportirgtncl'fbe i~e Page 41 of71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT VA-20-0509-B-000021 Colorado 8 400 Norch-16■ Nach-17 ■ Norch-18 ■ M'.rch-19 ■ Norch-20 Solrce: Conferenceof State Bc:r,kSupervisors. as of 18:58Merci, 20.2020.DataSOI.reed fromstate hed1hdepcrtmentwebsites;report~ maybe incolf4lleteor delayed Page 42 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGH_T VA-20-0509-B-000022 Louisiana 800 400 200 -'\, v~v">v">v,!;> ""'""'\, v~v""v""v""~ '?'"' - WestchesterCounty - NY Cook County - ILSantaClara County CAWayne County Ml •- KingCountyWA Orleans ParishLA SuffolkCounty NYStatewide UnallocatedNJ '?''(-;,.'?" '?'-C) ,,,, \",,",, ,,,, ,,, - ~ :-i,C) ,t ,">-"' NassauCounty NY SantaClaraCountyCA OaklandCountyMI DavidsonCounty1N JeffersonParishLA HudsonCounty NJ Eagle CountyCD Albany County NY JeffersonCounty CD OceanCounty NJ ~ r-,C) ,,,,~ - ~ ':-.."'C) ,,,,~ ':-..~ ,,,,~ ~ - ~ r-,C) ,,?-°' Cook CountyILState.Nde Unallocated WA MiamiDadeCountyFL Clark CoU7tyNV Middlesex Coo,ty NJ OrangeCounty CADenverCounty CO PassaicCountyNJ StatewideUnallocated TXPhiladelpliaCountyPA Page 47 of 71 AMcHICAN pVERSIGHT ~ r-,C) VA-20-0509-B-000027 COVID-19 confirmed cases .. • I I .. • ... - ... A I\ I• Soorce: Conferenre cl State BankSupervisa's, as of March21, 2020.Datasou-ced fromstatehealth departmentwebsites:reportingmay be ~ or daayed pVERSIG T· Page 57 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000028 Countieswiththe highestnumberof case 211 400) Marcn-16■ ~17 I\ A I' ■ rvarn-18 ■ Waich-19■ rv'Bich-20■ Mam21 Soorre: Conferenre ofStateBankSupervisors , as cl March21, 2020.Da1asourcedfromstatehealth clepartmentwebsites :repcxting maybein,:f>J ---• I I ~ tfrl;, 05 ·•···· ~"' I ·r? 0v <' ■ lv'elCh-18■ M:ldl-19 Source: Cooferenceri State Bank Supe!visors, as cJMarch21, 2020.Da1asoured fromstatehealth depar1mentwebsites : reportingmay be rm,~ or delayed pVERSIG # «55 --···· ----·· I $ ■ lv'edl-20 ■ Mardl-21 Page 66 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000037 Louisiana 950 4 500I8: 63?? $30 05?) Q90 $3530 66?? $42! 'k a $0 t3? <25? Math-16 .MadH IMam-18 IMam-19 IMach~20 Page 67 of 71 deparhu?webs?es: repom'rg may be Georgia 950 500 250 Mardl-16 • IVa'dl-17 • Wem-18 • M3dl-19 • Wedl-21 • Mardl-21 I\ A I' Source:CooferencemS1ateBankSupervisors, as of March21, 2020.Data5a.lltm fromstalehealth departmentwebsites : reportirgmaybe ~ex-delayed pVERSIG T Page 68 of 71 VA-20-0509-B-000039 Iii) March-16 ■ IVat:h-17 ■ Wedl-18 ■ Wedl-19 ■ Wedl-~ ■ Man:h-21 I\ A I' Source: Conferenreof State BankSupe!visols, as r:JMardi 21, 2020.Datasoo-cedfiumstatehealth department websites: repcrtirg maybe f1