Today is the six-month anniversary of when Gov. Tom Wolf first issued his COVID-19 emergency declaration.

From the beginning of this pandemic, we have sought to work with the governor in responding to COVID-19 in a way that makes sense and represents the various regional differences of Pennsylvania. These efforts have been ignored or vetoed.

Behaving as if he had been given a blank check of authority, the governor and his administration have continued to act alone issuing confusing and inconsistent orders, guidance, and mandates.

Many of these, including the latest emergency declaration extension, have been issued without the backing of data.

The decisions made have lacked basic transparency and gone far afield from his originally stated goals of flattening the curve and slowing the spread.

The need to terminate the governor’s emergency declaration has only increased. Not because COVID-19 is not a real virus or a matter of concern, but because our government was never meant to be run by one non-transparent person that remains unaccountable to Pennsylvanians.

Unsupported by data, Gov. Wolf’s confusing, unfair and ever-changing orders have hurt family-run businesses. Many of whom after operating for generations, will never be able to open their doors again.

The latest order shutting down bars and clubs and restricting restaurant capacity has devastated the livelihoods of small business owners across Pennsylvania. The impact of order is not limited to just bars and restaurants and the thousands of Pennsylvanians they employ.

It also has a downstream impact on the supply chain, hurting everyone from farmers to dry cleaners and truck drivers.

To get Pennsylvanians back to work, we must get the governor’s unchecked emergency powers out of the way. #EndTheDeclaration