WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) is calling for an investigation into New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s nursing home practices during the coronavirus pandemic. Reed says Cuomo’s policies have led to thousands of deaths in New York’s long-term care facilities, a claim the governor denies.

According to Reed and House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) during a virtual news conference Thursday morning, more than 40 percent of COVID-19 deaths have come from less than 1 percent of the population: seniors inside America’s nursing homes.

Nearly one-in-ten coronavirus deaths in the U.S. can be traced back to nursing homes and long-term care facilities in New York and Pennsylvania, according to data from each state’s Department of Health. In total, 6,055 COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed or presumed in New York nursing homes, according to the most recent data on June 16. A total of 4,332 Pennsylvanians has died in nursing homes during the pandemic, according to data updated Thursday.

Now, Reed is calling for an investigation into policies from Cuomo and four other states during the pandemic.

“We estimate potentially as many as twice the number of 6,200 of our grandparents were killed by Governor Cuomo’s order,” Reed said.

Reed argues Cuomo and others forced nursing homes to take COVID-19 positive patients, a claim Cuomo refutes. Reed and Scalise say that policy led to increased community spread and more fatalities in those facilities, a move they say directly conflicts with guidelines from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“It’s even more egregious because we watched this in real time,” Reed said, noting he and other Republicans warned Cuomo of the potential impact of the policy earlier this year.

Scalise, the top Republican on the Select Committee for the Coronavirus Crisis, is backing calls for an investigation.

“For whatever reason on March 25, after that CMS guideline, that is when Governor Cuomo issued this order,” Scalise said.

Cuomo has since rescinded orders related to nursing homes that Reed is challenging. Last month, Cuomo told reporters he was following directives from the Trump administration.

“So, don’t criticize the state for following the president’s policies,” Cuomo said on May 23.

Calls for an investigation come ahead of what scientists warn could be a second wave of the coronavirus later this year.

Reed hopes the findings will develop a national nursing home strategy during the pandemic and better practices at the state level.

“What we should do is acknowledge the mistake, move forward together, and convene whatever necessary resources we need,” he sai%MCEPASTEBIN%