Vitale Statement on the U.S. Department of Justice’s Investigation Into New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes

Trenton – Senator Joe Vitale, chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee issued the following statement on today’s Department of Justice report:

“The report reaffirms my belief that the operation of the Veterans Memorial Homes should be delegated to a new cabinet level department or authority. We are failing our veterans, and the status quo under the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is unacceptable.

“Changing leadership and staff has proven insufficient. Our veterans, and the family members who lost loved ones due to deficient care, deserve better treatment than what today’s report has detailed. Despite our efforts, these problems remain ongoing.

“We need to take further action and enact substantive reform, as I have previously proposed. We owe it to the veterans at these facilities and their family members.”