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U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, once again criticized Gov. Tom Wolf for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to business and industry.
He said he hopes that the Democratic governor will handle the situation differently when it's time to re-open the economy.
That means conferring with elected officials in his own state and other leaders before making any kind of decision.
Keller put no timeline on when many businesses forced to close should re-open.
"The first concern is the safety of the people," he told the Sun-Gazette.
Keller strongly opposed Wolf's initial order last month to shut down non-essential businesses due to the coronavirus epidemic.
In addition to the confusion over what defined a non-essential business, Keller said the governor created a lot of anxiety among the state's residents.
"There is a matter of doing things safely. No one wants to create a lot of anguish," he said. "To get it right, the governor needs to get input from people who are elected."
He questioned Wolf's announcement this week to join a coalition of governors from nearby states to form a regional plan to open the states' economies.
It would include Democratic Govs. Andrew Cuomo of New York, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, Ned Lamont of Connecticut, John Carney of Delaware, and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican.
He questioned why Wolf has chosen to not to consult with neighboring states such as Ohio and Maryland which have more in common with Pennsylvania than the coalition states.
Keller accused Wolf of shutting Pennsylvanians out of the process and playing politics with the country's economic future.
"I want to get back to the old normal created by the hardworking people of Pennsylvania," Keller said. "The best social program is a job and realizing that we have to do it right."
Keller said Congress has done a good job of rolling stimulus plans, such as the Paycheck Protection Program, which are helping people and businesses get back on their feet.