May. 18, 2020
HARRISBURG – Recognizing that Pennsylvania’s response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic will be extensive and far-reaching, today the House voted to appoint a special COVID-19 response committee.
“This pandemic has stretched the government response and the reach of the government into so many aspects of our daily lives, like no other event in our lifetime,” House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) said. “Making sure the response was effective, appropriate and in the best interest of all Pennsylvanians is crucial to every decision we make now, and arguably more importantly, to being better prepared should we ever have to face this type of an event ever again.”
The resolution, authored by Cutler, calls on the Speaker of the House to appoint seven members, four from the majority party and three from the minority to a committee to monitor the Commonwealth’s response to the COVID-19 emergency. The committee structure is based off the traditional make-up of all House committees.
Committee members are tasked with identifying issues of immediate importance that require governmental action and issuing a report and recommendations for House actions to aide in the response to the pandemic.
The committee has the power to hold hearings, take testimony, make investigations and issue subpoenas if necessary.
“The majority of our chamber has already voted in favor of an interbranch task force to respond to the crisis, but Gov. Tom Wolf has not shown a willingness to support that plan,” Cutler added. “Regardless of Wolf’s intentions, our constituents have many questions about what is happening, and how we can help our Commonwealth recover. This committee will help us move our state forward as quickly, and effectively, as possible.”
Representative Bryan Cutler
100th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives