The Governor of Pennsylvania is joining the Governor of New Jersey to call for the federal government to provide a COVID-19 relief package.
"I am deeply disappointed in our federal government," said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, who called its response 'weak.'
Pennsylvania's Governor said restaurants and bars should not have to suffer for this, as coronavirus continues to rise rapidly and hospitals in Pennsylvania are in danger of being overwhelmed. Wolf said “it’s disgraceful that right now, in the midst of the worst surge of COVID-19 that our country has seen to date, when record numbers of Americans are dying from this horrible virus, our Republican leaders seem to be incapable of providing Americans with desperately needed aid and support.”
“The situation we are in is dire,” Gov. Wolf said. “In Pennsylvania, the pandemic is far worse now than it was in the spring when we successfully took action to flatten the curve. Our hospitals are now in danger of being overwhelmed by COVID-19, a scenario that would have devastating consequences for our entire health care system if we let it come to pass.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy echoed that plea as he called relief a 'bridge over troubled water,' adding it is not acceptable to allow states to go bankrupt. He added that scenario also puts workers jobs at risk in essential and critical services.
The Governors said a bipartisan Congressional group has offered a $908 billion relief package as a starting point to address the aid needed, but they claim without any relief from Congress millions of Americans will lose unemployment benefits and other protections at the end of the month. The $908 billion relief package includes provisions for state, local and tribal governments as well as resources for first responders, frontline workers, and direct grants to state and local entities for vaccine distribution.
The Governor's blamed Sen. Mitch McConnell for 'continued obstruction of meaningful relief jeopardizes essential jobs and services, and threatens the broad distribution of a vaccine for millions.'
“Mitch McConnell is single handedly holding hostage the relief American families desperately need,” said Zac Petkanas, Director of Protect Our Care’s Coronavirus War Room. “The state and local aid he is sabotaging this bill over is actually funding for first-responders and frontline workers, vaccine distribution, and resources that will keep people safe. As always, Mitch McConnell is putting a perceived political win over the health and safety of the American people and it’s our communities that are suffering the consequences.”
Pennsylvania's state legislature cannot meet again until January, when they are set to swear in new members.
