Burns votes to end state disaster declaration for second time

Vote tells governor it’s time to reopen businesses

HARRISBURG, May 28 – As the coronavirus crisis recedes with ever dwindling case numbers, state Rep. Frank Burns today voted to reopen businesses and restart the economy by terminating the governor’s disaster declaration.

"Pennsylvania reached the apex in the number of new cases between April 9 and 17th, but now, a month later, we flattened the curve but businesses are still closed," Burns said. "It's time to reopen the economy before it's too late for many small business owners."

Burns said that since his disaster proclamation in March, the governor has used broad, sweeping powers to direct the state’s coronavirus response. Last week Burns broke ranks with House Democrats in a committee and voted to move the resolution to the full House for consideration while seeking assurances it would not cost Pennsylvania federal resources.

"Governor Wolf's administration has failed time and again to engage with the legislature – the elected representatives of the people – as he attempts a one-size-fits-all response to this pandemic," Burns said. "I voted to terminate his disaster declaration and end the shutdown, returning the power to the people, just like it says in the Constitution.”

Since the start of the pandemic, Burns has consistently voted and advocated to balance the safety of workers and families with the need to allow businesses to safely reopen. He has also consistently and publicly questioned the administration about its response and pressed for more details on the metrics used in making decisions about reopening Pennsylvania.

“We have tried to work with the governor to tailor the state’s response to meet the needs of our individual communities, but have received little cooperation and few answers,” Burns said. “It is time for us to put this disaster behind us -- and get Pennsylvania back to work.”