State Senator Gustavo Rivera on Dr. Mary Bassett's Resignation as New York State's Health Department Commissioner

"I want to express my tremendous gratitude to Dr. Mary Bassett for her time as our State’s Health Commissioner. During her tenure, Dr. Bassett successfully centered her Department’s work on a core mission— health equity. I am grateful for her focus on protecting and improving the health and well-being of all New Yorkers, especially during compounding crises of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreaks of MPV and polio. 

As Governor Hochul embarks on her search for our next Health Commissioner, I encourage a thorough search for someone who shares Dr. Bassett's commitment to forward-thinking, compassionate, and efficient public health initiatives focused on combatting deep-rooted health disparities and historic systemic inequities affecting communities of color. We have Dr. Bassett to thank for shepherding last year's significant invesments in Medicaid and the most robust public health budget in recent memory. Our state deserves a Commissioner who sees health equity as a North Star for our public health work. 

To Dr. Bassett, I wish you the best in your next professional chapter. As a New Yorker and a colleague, thank you for serving our great State so honorably."