Members of the Pennsylvania Republican Congressional Delegation admonished Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision to withhold nearly $13 million in CARES Act funding for Lebanon County after two out of three county commissioners voted to reopen the county before getting the directive to do so from the state.
“Governor Wolf’s announcement … that he would be restricting pandemic relief funds to Lebanon County is a clear example of political retribution at the expense of more than 140,000 Pennsylvanians,” the representatives said on July 17. “By refusing to release this funding to Lebanon County, the Governor’s office is exceeding its authority in distributing relief funds, which were designated for all Pennsylvanians, by both the state and federal governments. Amidst an unprecedented public health crisis, it is unconscionable for the Governor to punish his constituents in order to settle political scores.”
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was approved by Congress in March to provide direct funding to support the impending financial crisis caused by COVID-19. Of the federal relief funds allocated, $4.9 billion in direct funding was provided to Pennsylvania.
State Health Department officials said that Lebanon County got ahead of Wolf’s reopening strategy, claiming it was evident in the number of increased cases reported there. Lebanon was among the last of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to be officially allowed to lift restrictions.
While Wolf claims his decision is not a punishment, these new parameters set forth by his administration are in direct conflict with the PA General Assembly’s legislative intent of the County Relief Block Grant program.
Delegation members included U.S. Reps. Dan Meuser, Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, Mike Kelly, Scott Perry, Lloyd Smucker, Guy Reschenthaler, John Joyce, and Fred Keller.