During National Nurses Week (May 6-12), I want to take the time to honor our hard working nurses, especially during such a dark and challenging year. Many of us who were unable to reach a family member or friend receiving health care during the COVID pandemic, knew we could rely on nurses to provide top-notch medical care and comfort to our loved ones when they needed it most.

Nurses are the heart of New York’s health care. The level of care, dedication, skill, and tireless commitment they bring with them day in and day out, is truly remarkable, and I can’t thank our nurses enough for their service. Despite their efforts to ensure the health and safety of our communities, far too many nurses are still subjected to unfair and unsafe working conditions that undermine their ability to safely care for patients. That’s why in the midst of this pandemic, I helped pass a budget that puts nurses first, by mandating spending levels on nursing home staff and rejecting cuts to Medicaid reimbursements and hospitals.

In addition, for National Nurses Week I helped pass two bills that would improve patients’ quality of care and promote safer working conditions by setting staffing standards in hospitals and nursing homes across the state (A.108-B, A.7119).

Our New York nurses are the heroes of our time, and I want you to know that I am always fighting to make sure they have a voice in Albany.