Apr. 28, 2020
HARRISBURG – The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing response has put an enormous strain on Pennsylvanians and state government. To help ensure Pennsylvania and its residents come out stronger than they were before the pandemic, the House approved
House Bill 2419 by Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) to form a bipartisan COVID-19 cost and recovery task force.
“The shutdown of nearly every business in the Commonwealth brought our economy to a halt and left nearly 2 million people instantly unemployed,” Grove said. “As we rebuild, I believe we can make Pennsylvania greater than ever before so we can all prosper.”
The cost and recovery task force’s mission would be to develop a recovery plan to include a documented, structured approach on how the Commonwealth and its subdivisions can expeditiously resume mission-critical functions, including the restoration of housing, transportation, education and other public services and economic activity to levels equal to or better than before the pandemic. This would be done through a series of short-term, intermediate and long-term strategies and actions.
The task force would be comprised of members of all three branches of government to conduct a transparent review of Pennsylvania’s response to COVID-19. The task force would also be able to establish advisory committees to review issues relating to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
“Bringing voices and opinions from all branches of government, all walks of life and all parts of the Commonwealth is paramount,” Grove said. “The path forward must be inclusive, sound and unified. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to produce a plan to make Pennsylvania once again an economic powerhouse. We must do it the right way.”
The bill was amended so the task force would now be made up of nine people: the governor, the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, the speaker of the House, the Senate president pro tempore, and two state judges, or appointees by any of those mentioned.
House Bill 2419 is now in the Senate for consideration.
Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepGrove.com/ Facebook.com/RepSethGrove