Congressman Kinzinger on La Salle Veteran Home Deaths

Statement

U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) released the following statement on the COVID-19 outbreak at the La Salle Veterans Home:

"I remain deeply concerned about the coronavirus outbreak at the La Salle Veterans Home and fully support an investigation into what happened here. We need to secure these facilities and get to the bottom of this crisis immediately.
"After learning of the outbreak at the beginning of November, my office set up briefings with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and then received a readout from their site visit with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) on November 13, 2020. Now, after an alarming rise in confirmed cases and number of deaths, Governor Pritzker has finally ordered the Inspector General to investigate the facility. While I support the Governor's call to investigate this matter, a report in four to six months will not help these veterans and their families now when they need it most.
"The people of Illinois deserve action and answers. Why doesn't the Pritzker Administration have a team on the ground now? What is the Governor going to do today to help my constituents at the La Salle Veterans Home and their families? How did the Pritzker Administration fail so egregiously to ensure our facilities were following the rules strictly so as to avoid the outcomes we saw in New York City and Seattle? The failures here are entirely unacceptable. And without question, our most vulnerable population deserves better than this.
"I want to thank State Senator Sue Rezin and the State House Members for their commitment to finding out the truth and making sure we have full transparency and accountability in this matter. My office and I will continue to offer our support to the veterans in our community and will work with the VA to navigate this devastating crisis."

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