The RAND Blog

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A Short History of China's Fishing Militia and What It May Tell Us

China's armed fishing militia plays an instrumental role in Beijing's strategy to enforce its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Why did Beijing create a maritime militia to begin with and how has it evolved over time? What does this history suggest about its future?

Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman, Logan Ma

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The Public Charge Rule's Likely Hazard to Our Nation's Health During COVID-19

The Public Charge rule makes immigrants who receive Medicaid and other publicly-funded benefits potentially ineligible for green cards, and, in some cases, subjects them to deportation. Fear and reluctance to seek assistance among immigrants is likely to worsen during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Kathryn Pitkin Derose

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Millions Need Unemployment Benefits. Unfortunately, the Delivery System Is Broken

More than 10 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance in March as businesses closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Washington's stimulus package enacted welcome measures to tide people over, but these temporary fixes don't address some serious structural problems.

Kathryn A. Edwards @keds_economist

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During Coronavirus Pandemic, Can Congress Members Do Their Jobs by Teleworking?

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a new challenge to how Congress conducts business. How can the United States leverage existing technologies so lawmakers can continue to work safely and securely?

Quentin E. Hodgson @QHodgson

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Should the Federal Workforce Stay Remote? Planning for After the Crisis

As physical distancing becomes the new norm, so too does telework. But should federal agencies maintain their remote operations for the long haul? As those of us involved with national security agencies, operations, and workforce issues know, this is not a decision to make lightly.

Kathryn A. Edwards @keds_economist, Melanie A. Zaber @MelanieZaber, et al.

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Maximizing Bargaining Leverage with Beijing: Developing Missiles as Bargaining Chips

Arms negotiations may offer the only way to reduce the grave threat posed to the United States and allied security by China's missiles. U.S. owned and operated missiles could provide the best bargaining chips.

Luke Griffith

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Incarceration Rates: A Key Measure of Health in America

There's widespread agreement that incarceration has adverse effects on health and health equity, not just for prisoners but also for families and communities. That's one important reason why incarceration in the United States needs to be reduced.

Carolyn E. Miller, Douglas Yeung @DouglasCYeung

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COVID-19's Effects on Mental Health, Food Access, and Education: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on COVID-19 and mental health, food security challenges during the pandemic, supporting children while schools are closed, and more.

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Forgotten on the Frontlines of the Food Supply Chain

The working and living conditions of farmworkers make practicing social distancing, self-isolation, or quarantine impossible. In the food supply, farmworkers are the first responders who keep the supply chains going. FEMA, the CDC, and state governments should include farmworkers and agricultural communities in their emergency response plans.

Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis

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What If the Supreme Court Strikes Down the ACA During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

With COVID-19 spreading across the United States, the fate of the Affordable Care Act is once again up in the air, hanging on the outcome of a Supreme Court case. Should the law be overturned, upwards of 20 million people could lose their health insurance during one of the deadliest pandemics in modern history.

Christine Eibner @Chrissyeibner, Courtney A. Gidengil @c_gidengil

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U.S.–South Korea OPCON Transition: The Element of Timing

As Washington and Seoul continue to examine the feasibility and conditions for wartime operational control transition, decisionmakers will likely face political pressure on timing. It may well be to the advantage of both allies that the determination of the transfer be driven by a hard, thorough diagnosis of military capabilities against emerging threats.

Soo Kim @mllesookim

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Schools Pivot Online in Wake of COVID-19: Q&A with RAND Experts

Nearly all school-age children in the United States are no longer in the classroom as districts shut down to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus. RAND education researchers discuss how this situation might exacerbate educational inequities, how districts and teachers are innovating and what they need, and what parents can do.

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North Korea: Denying COVID-19

According to Pyongyang, North Korea has not yet suffered any cases of COVID-19. That would be surprising, since it is a neighbor and extensive trading partner of China. There are signs that this claim is yet another North Korean deception.

Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett, Diana Y. Myers

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Online Doesn't Have to Mean Impersonal

Children's needs extend beyond the purely academic. It is important that their social and emotional well-being is supported as instruction moves online during the COVID-19 pandemic. A whole-child view of what students need could benefit them now more than ever.

Laura S. Hamilton, John F. Pane @JohnFPane, et al.

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Amidst a Pandemic, a Mental Health Crisis May Be Looming

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers' mental health could be significant and may weaken the health care system's ability to resolve the crisis and survive over the long term. Interventions to promote psychological well-being should be implemented now.

Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia @AhluwaliaPhD, Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, et al.