Nursing Home Negligence

Floor Speech

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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, we continue to see appalling nursing home negligence nationwide, including my home State of Pennsylvania.

Last week, my fellow Pennsylvania Republican Members and I joined the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis to send a letter to State Attorney General Josh Shapiro demanding an explanation for Governor Wolf's deadly decision to readmit COVID-19-positive residents back into nursing homes.

According to the most recent data, Pennsylvania has suffered 4,539 nursing home deaths related to COVID-19. That is more than 68 percent of the State's total COVID-19 deaths and more than 3 percent of the State's entire nursing home population.

The families who have lost loved ones as a result of this reckless policy deserve answers, they deserve an explanation, and they deserve closure.

Prior to my being elected to Congress, I spent many years as a licensed nursing home administrator specializing in long-term care, and I have been horrified to see this avoidable crisis unfold.

In closing, I would like to thank our frontline employees in nursing homes. They work so hard to protect the residents. And my sincerest condolences to the families who are grieving.

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