Wolf In Pittsburgh To Detail PA Relief Effort For Restaurants

PITTSBURGH, PA— Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday will unveil a plan to provide state support for the bar and restaurant industry that has been crippled by the coronavirus outbreak.

Wolf will make an announcement at Le Mont restaurant in Mt. Washington at 2 p.m.

The announcement will come two days after the state House failed to override Wolf's veto of a bill that would have lessened coronavirus occupancy restrictions on bars and restaurants. The bill not becoming law is a devastating blow to the long-term survival of the state's restaurant industry, the head of the association said in a statement issued Wednesday.

The House on Tuesday fell two votes short in the effort to override Wolf's veto. In a 133-69 vote, the House upheld the veto. Two thirds of the House — 135 votes — were needed for the override.

The bill would have allowed restaurants to operate at 50 percent capacity, as well as permitting restaurants to operate above 50 percent capacity if following guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or if they had physical barriers.

"The failure to pass the bill is devastating to the long-term survival of the restaurant, private event, and lodging industries," Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association President and CEO John Longstreet said.

But the governor, in a veto statement, said the bill would "endanger public health and safety" during the pandemic.

The association, which represents 30,000 businesses and 700,000 hospitality employees from across the commonwealth, "will not relent in speaking up for the struggling restaurant, private event and lodging industries," Longstreet said.