Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will appear before Congress on Tuesday to testify regarding his COVID-19 nursing home policies. The hearing, scheduled for September 10th, will focus on Cuomo's March 25th, 2020, directive that brought over 9,000 coronavirus patients into care facilities across the state. Families of nursing home residents who died from COVID-19 are eagerly awaiting the hearing, hoping for answers and accountability.
On Tuesday, September 10th, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will face congressional scrutiny for the first time over his handling of COVID-19 nursing home policies. The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic is set to question Cuomo regarding his controversial March 25th, 2020, directive that required nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients.
This directive has been widely criticized for potentially contributing to the deaths of thousands of nursing home residents across the state. Families of those who died are eagerly awaiting the hearing, hoping for answers and accountability.
Andrew Cuomo's Capitol Hill Testimony: Former NY Governor Faces Congressional Scrutiny over COVID-19 Nursing Home Policies
"Many of us will be very interested in the subcommittee's findings and their report, which will be made public in the next few weeks," said Janice Dean, a vocal advocate for nursing home residents' rights. "Our families have been waiting years for this moment, and it's hard to put into words what it will be like to finally be in the same room as the person who many of us believe had a hand in the deaths of our loved ones."
Cuomo has consistently denied any wrongdoing, but the hearing is expected to shed new light on the decision-making process behind the nursing home policy.
Andrew Cuomo's Capitol Hill Testimony: Former NY Governor Faces Congressional Scrutiny over COVID-19 Nursing Home Policies
In addition to family members, healthcare professionals and experts in public health are also expected to testify before the subcommittee. Their perspectives will be crucial in assessing the impact of Cuomo's policies on nursing home residents and staff.
The hearing will be closely watched by residents and families of nursing homes across the country. The outcome could have implications for future policies and regulations regarding long-term care facilities and the protection of vulnerable seniors during public health emergencies.
Andrew Cuomo's Capitol Hill Testimony: Former NY Governor Faces Congressional Scrutiny over COVID-19 Nursing Home Policies
Here are the responses from other family members of nursing home residents who died from COVID-19:
Peter Arbeeny, son of Norman Arbeeny
Andrew Cuomo's Capitol Hill Testimony: Former NY Governor Faces Congressional Scrutiny over COVID-19 Nursing Home Policies
"Being in the same room with the son of the great Mario Cuomo, who personally met with my mother long ago and was a person she admired, is a surreal experience. Mario inspired me to become a Democrat and when given the chance, I voted for his son Andrew Cuomo. Andrew should have accepted our family's invitation to meet at our father's house and apologize. This congressional public hearing brings me one step closer to my promise that I made my dad after his passing 4-1/2 years ago. I promised him that I would not visit the cemetery till we had an investigation into why we were lied to by the Cuomo administration."
Vivian Zayas, daughter of Ana Martinez
Andrew Cuomo's Capitol Hill Testimony: Former NY Governor Faces Congressional Scrutiny over COVID-19 Nursing Home Policies
"Nearly five years have passed since my mother's death, and I never imagined this day would come. I've fought tirelessly for this moment, through pain, through grief, and through countless setbacks. And now, to be just feet away from him—this man whose decisions took so much from me and so many others—fills me with a mix of emotions I can hardly describe. The anger I've carried, the sadness that never leaves, the determination that has fueled me, all collide in this one moment. But my resolve has never been stronger. I will look him in the eye, and he will know that I am still here, unyielding, fighting for the justice that my mother—and so many others—deserved."
Donna Johnson, daughter of Michael and Dolores Newman
"Although I am quite anxious since finding out we are going to be at the testimony of Andrew Cuomo in person, I have the horror of what my family lived through fresh in the front my mind. Don't misunderstand me, it has always been in my mind. I just try to store it a little further back. I am also feeling discouraged because I have never heard the disgraced ex-governor tell the truth. What I would like to see during this testimony is accountability and truth for once. It is something we need to know. As a senior myself, there are no guarantees I won't end up in an Assisted Living or Rehabilitation Facility someday, and I need to know what decisions Andrew Cuomo made to be certain that history will never repeat itself. It's been 4 years of no accountability. The truth is long overdue."
Janice Dean, daughter of Michael and Loretta Dean
"As for me, I think I will have to wait to share my feelings. Part of me wants to forgive Andrew Cuomo, because those who talk about forgiveness say it's for the person who has been hurt more than the one that hurt them. But I'm not there yet. And I don't think Andrew Cuomo is all of a sudden going to pretend he's remorseful or empathetic. Instead, I believe Andrew Cuomo will do as he always does: deflect, blame everyone else and lie to protect himself instead of what he should have done from the beginning: protecting our loved ones, which he pledged he would do through a once in a lifetime pandemic."
