BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA (April 17, 2020) — Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley (R-IA) joined Sen James Lankford (R-OK) and 25 senators in calling on federal agencies to ensure that long-term care facilities occupied by seniors, as well as those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, receive adequate resources in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
In a bipartisan letter today to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, the senators urged HHS not to overlook the residents and staff within nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, senior-living communities, independent-living facilities, and assisted-living facilities, as well as memory-care and continuing-care retirement communities when developing guidelines for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF).
“We believe that the essential providers that serve our nation’s seniors within our nursing homes, skilled-nursing centers, assisted-living facilities, as well as those within senior-living communities should be included in the category of facilities that receive allocated funds made available by Congress in the PHSSEF,” the Senators wrote.
“Allocating a meaningful level of support from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to this industry is critical to the seniors who call these facilities home as we continue to take steps to reduce COVID-19 spread and support our health-care providers on the front lines.”
Joining Grassley and Lankford in the letter are Sens Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Todd Young (R-IN), John Boozman (R-AR), John Hoeven (R-ND), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Jim Risch (R-ID), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rob Portman (R-OH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ben Sasse (R-NE), David Perdue (R-GA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Scott (R-SC), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Pat Roberts (R-KS).
A copy of the letter can be found HERE,
