Kean and Bucco Speak at ‘Voices for Seniors’ Rally

Supporting Families Impacted by 7,100+ COVID Nursing Home Deaths

Showing their support for the families of the more than 7,100 lives lost in long-term care facilities due to the tragic mistakes made under Governor Phil Murphy’s leadership, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean and Senator Anthony M. Bucco both spoke at the ‘Voices for Seniors’ New Jersey Rally at St. Joseph’s Senior Assisted Living and Nursing Center in Woodbridge on September 30, 2020.

“So many families have been impacted by the pandemic, but those who have lost loved ones in nursing homes, veterans homes, and long-term care facilities are still seeking answers about this preventable tragedy,” said Kean (R-21). “For the past five months, Senate Republicans have called for a thorough, bipartisan, and transparent investigation into the more than 7,100 deaths in long-term care facilities. The families and loved ones of victims deserve to hear the truth and be given the peace of mind to know that those responsible are being held accountable.”

More than 7,000 residents of New Jersey’s nursing homes, veterans’ homes, and long-term care facilities have died from COVID-19. A full 50% of the state’s coronavirus deaths have occurred among these vulnerable populations.

Whistleblowers from within the New Jersey Department of Health have hinted that dangerous policy directives, misrepresented data, and arbitrary decision-making by the administration in Trenton contributed to preventable outbreaks and the unnecessary loss of life in our long-term care facilities.

Senate Republicans have launched an online petition to enlist the public’s support to convince legislative leaders to allow a special bipartisan committee with subpoena power to investigate the massive loss of life in New Jersey’s nursing homes, veterans’ homes, and long-term care (LTC) facilities due to COVID-19.

The online petition can be signed at https://www.senatenj.com/petitions/nursinghomes/.

“The efforts of ‘Voices for Seniors’ honor the many thousands of lost loved ones in our nursing homes and the countless others who still can be saved,” said Bucco (R-25). “Each one of those 7,000 people who perished were loved, are sorely missed, and they deserve our efforts to find out what went wrong and to fight to prevent any additional, unnecessary loss of life. I urge all residents to sign the petition. Together, we can be the strong, unified voices that our seniors deserve.”