Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced he intends to make funding available for small businesses and restaurants impacted by COVID-19 shutdowns. Last session, the House Republican Caucus passed legislation like the vetoed House Bill 2513, which it said would have prevented the current restaurant shutdown and passed a constitutional amendment to limit the governor’s emergency authority.
In response to the governor’s announcement, Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) made the following statement:
“There is only one reason why restaurants and small businesses are shut down, suffering and facing permanent closure, and that reason is the governor. The backbone of our state and local economy, restaurants and small businesses, have been unfairly targeted by his administration, and have been pleading for months for relief from his mandates.
“Hearing those cries, the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus has taken the lead in advocating that Pennsylvania’s small businesses, restaurants and workers get the relief and commonsense support they desperately need.
“Throughout the pandemic, House Republicans have tried to bring commonsense to Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 response, stood up for small businesses, and worked to undo the harm caused by Gov. Wolf’s economic shutdowns and restrictions.
“Going alone is not what is best for Pennsylvanians. We need to work together, and I encourage Gov. Wolf to work with us on relief plans and join us in focusing on long-term solutions that keep Pennsylvanians working and businesses and restaurants operating safely.”
