Yesterday, Congressman Mike Lawler of New York’s 17th Congressional District sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald, and New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. In the letter, Lawler requested a written determination on whether former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s March 25, 2020 nursing home directive was in line with federal guidelines.
The directive required nursing homes to accept patients who had tested positive for COVID-19. According to reports, this policy has been associated with more than 15,000 deaths during the early stages of the pandemic in New York State, including approximately 5,000 in New York City. Former Governor Cuomo and his Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker have maintained that their policy followed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). However, subsequent bipartisan congressional investigations have concluded that the state’s directive did not align with federal recommendations.
Earlier this year in March, Lawler led other Republican members of Congress from New York in sending a letter to the CDC and CMS seeking clarification about the nursing home order.
Congressman Lawler is known for working across party lines and represents an area just north of New York City that includes all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated as the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress and ranked eighth overall among his peers.
“The full letter can be found HERE.”
