Pallone Joins Nurses at Senate Field Hearing at Rutgers University

New Brunswick, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today joined nurses, who testified at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee field hearing, at Rutgers University. In August, Pallone joined the nurses’ picket line at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

“I support legislation at the federal and state level that provides strong nurse-patient staffing ratios. Adequate nurse staffing is key to quality health care at hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities. Nurses deserve pay and benefits that reflect their important role in keeping us healthy and safe,” Pallone said. “The hospital will function best with the regular nursing staff and with nurse-patient ratios that reflect best practices for the patients.”

The Senate HELP hearing was entitled “Overworked and Undervalued: Is the Severe Hospital Staffing Crisis Endangering the Well-Being of Patients and Nurses?” Pallone is the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care, including workforce issues. He has been pushing the hospital and nurses to come to an agreement that allows the nurses to get back to work.