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Summary provided by Polis: Center for Politics
This December, the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy and Polis hosted a two-part conversation with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and former U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) in Duke’s Washington, DC office. Sanford Professor Kate Bundorf and Interim Dean Manoj Mohanan joined both senators to discuss the potential for bipartisan legislation focused on health care policy.
In front of an audience of policymakers and experts, both senators highlighted past legislative successes that depended on bipartisan cooperation. Professor Kate Bundorf, who researches the economics of health care systems, said after the event, “The senators made a compelling case for the benefits of bipartisanship in developing health policy, especially when talking about the durability of bipartisan solutions in addressing the healthcare needs of Americans. I think they also did a good job highlighting some important and timely bipartisan issues that legislators might focus on in the coming year, including site-neutral payment reform for healthcare providers, supporting the opioid response through the SUPPORT Act, and the reauthorization of PAHPA for pandemic preparedness.”
During the second half of the program, Sanford School Interim Dean Manoj Mohanan spoke with Senator Burr about his landmark, bipartisan work, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), and how it helped prepare the country for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reflecting on the conversation and how it fits into the Sanford School’s mission, Mohanan shared, “Duke and other universities can play a key role in improving public policy by bringing together divergent perspectives and having policymakers find common ground on important policy questions that impact the average person.”
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In addition to engaging policymakers and experts, the event provided Duke students with a unique opportunity to meet with senior elected officials and hear more about the policymaking process.
Prior to the event, students had an hour-long lunch with Senator Burr, where the students reflected on legislative politics and discussed how diverse stakeholders can help support bipartisanship.
Teresa Meloni, a first-year Master of Public Policy student, shared her thoughts on the event, “Being able to see two senators who have spent their careers making the U.S. a better place to live was very heartening after the last few years of political discourse I’ve witnessed. Senator Hassan has made bipartisanship the center of her policymaking - and there is no one better to serve the American people. Senator Burr made exceptional policy by reaching across the aisle and is committed to continuing that work in the private sector. These are two people to look to when we are questioning if the American Experiment is working for us.”
The hour-long conversation was a part of POLIS’ Bridging the Divide series with Senator Burr, who currently serves as a Polis Distinguished Fellow during the 2024-2025 academic year. The Bridging the Divide program is a multi-part lecture series highlighting senior policymakers who have spearheaded bipartisan efforts.
Polis’ director, Professor Abdullah Antepli, discussed how the series aims to highlight how "civil discourse is crucial to sustaining our democracy and fostering mutual understanding across diverse perspectives, engaging thoughtfully with differing viewpoints to maintain social cohesion enhances and empowers democratic values… I am so proud and grateful that Polis’ Bridging the Divide series models and exemplifies such ideal conversations and engagements for our Duke community and beyond.”
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