Halpin Joins Call for Hearing over Mounting COVID Deaths at LaSalle Veterans’ Home

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Amid a rising death toll from a widespread coronavirus outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is calling for a meeting of the House Veterans Affairs Committee to investigate COVID protocols and care practices at the state-run facility.

“While I am conscious of the health and safety risks that come with asking legislators to travel and gather in-person, there is a crisis at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home that needs our attention,” said Halpin. “Those who risked their lives to fight for our country deserve the highest standard of care, yet the numbers we’re seeing suggest they are not receiving it. We need to get to the bottom of what fueled this outbreak and provide full transparency to the families grieving a lost loved one.”

Halpin, who serves as vice chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, echoes a request made Friday by the committee chair for an in-person hearing regarding COVID cases at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home. At least 31 veterans, a quarter of residents at the home, have died from COVID-related complications since the beginning of the outbreak.

“The situation at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home is devastating and concerning,” said Halpin. “I am hopeful that a committee hearing, with proper safety measures in place for lawmakers and staff, can help shed light on the cause of this outbreak and the changes that are necessary moving forward.”

For more information, please contact Halpin’s full-time constituent service office at 309-558-3612 or at rephalpin@gmail.com.