Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Rhode Island and my other colleagues on the floor for their comments. I rise to join Senator Casey and our colleagues in calling for additional action to protect nursing home residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I begin by thanking the Senator from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this issue. I note that the senior Senator from New Hampshire is here, and I know that she will be addressing this issue as well and has been fighting for action to protect people all across our State and across our country who reside and work in nursing homes. Nowhere is this pandemic being felt more acutely in this country than in nursing homes. Across the United States, 43 percent of COVID-19 deaths have been linked to nursing homes, and in New Hampshire, roughly, 80 percent of our State's deaths from this virus have been in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The grief of losing a loved one, compounded with the fact that families could not be at their sides, is unimaginable. I know that frontline staff are working as hard as they can to keep their patients and residents safe, but in talking with them, it is clear that these essential workers need more support. In particular, frontline staff tell me they still do not have sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment. Months into this pandemic, there is still no robust Federal strategy to support the residents and employees of nursing homes. That is inexcusable.…”