CORNING, NY - Thursday, Rep. Tom Reed released the following statement regarding New York Attorney General Tish James’ report on New York’s failed nursing home policies. The report’s findings include:
- The New York State Department of Health may have undercounted nursing home deaths by as much as 50 percent.
- State guidance forcing COVID-19 positive patients into nursing homes directly contributed to the deaths of thousands of our state’s parents and grandparents.
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“Since May of last year, we have worked tirelessly to shine a light on New York’s disastrous nursing home policies to ensure such a colossal public health failure never happens again.
Instead of working with us, Governor Cuomo’s only response has been to ruthlessly attack anyone who questioned the state’s disastrous policies, including those from his party, deny any wrongdoing, and hide damning nursing home fatalities data that would implicate his administration.
Now, the state’s incompetence and gross negligence have been confirmed by its own Attorney General.
As we called for last year, a full federal investigation into New York’s disastrous handling of the COVID-19 crisis is desperately needed. Given the state’s refusal to be transparent, we must also hold additional congressional hearings to fully understand the scope of the state’s incompetence, as well as the state’s efforts to obfuscate the truth.
Governor Cuomo’s lies cannot go on. To the New Yorkers who lost a loved one due to these failed policies, know that this is one step closer towards justice.”
