New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Elected Vice Chairman
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson was elected chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA) as the bipartisan association works alongside Governors in their efforts to restore public health and continue a robust, sustainable economic recovery.
After a vote of his fellow leaders of states and territories, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy became the NGA vice chairman, with a role overseeing the NGA Center for Best Practices, the only research and development office directly serving the nation’s Governors. The Governors assumed their new roles during the NGA Summer Meeting, which took place in a virtual format.
Gov. Hutchinson took office in 2015 as the 46th Governor of Arkansas after a distinguished career as a U.S. Attorney, member of Congress, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security after its establishment. At NGA, Gov. Hutchinson has served as co-chair of the Resource Center for State Cybersecurity.
“This is a highlight of my time as Governor, and my pledge is to use the platform to build on the areas where Republicans and Democrats agree and work to remove the obstacles in Washington where we can,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “One of my most important missions will be to help facilitate the states’ partnership with the White House as we guide the nation out of the pandemic. We must combat the fear that many have expressed about getting a vaccination.”
In addition to Govs. Hutchinson and Murphy, the following Governors were elected to positions on the NGA Executive Committee, which guides NGA’s operations and priorities:
- Governor Kay Ivey, Alabama;
- Governor Doug Ducey, Arizona;
- Governor Jared Polis, Colorado;
- Governor Charlie Baker, Massachusetts;
- Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan;
- Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico;
- Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York.
During the NGA Summer Meeting, three Governor-led task forces held discussions with federal Cabinet secretaries on key issues of the day including cybersecurity, workforce development and transportation electrification. The Economic Recovery and Revitalization Task Force, by co-chaired by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear hosted Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm; the Pandemic and Disaster Response Task Force co-chaired by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee met with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas; and the Community Renewal Task Force co-chaired by U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan and Missouri Governor Mike Parson convened a discussion with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh.
Video of the three sessions will be available on the NGA website.
Governors announced that next year’s NGA Summer Meeting will be held in person next July in Portland, Maine, where it had been scheduled for 2020 before it switched to a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the next annual Winter Meeting is to be held in person in Washington, D.C.
