The DFL-controlled Minnesota House rejected a third resolution this week that would have ended Gov. Tim Walz’s peacetime emergency declaration.
“Additionally, the resolution would have allowed the Minnesota Legislature to fulfill its proper role in developing policy instead of permitting unilateral control by the governor,” Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) explained in a press release.
The resolution was rejected along party lines in a Tuesday vote of 59-73. The vote marked the third failed attempt by House Republicans this month to end the peacetime emergency declared by Gov. Walz in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor announced on April 13 that he was extending his emergency declaration for an additional 30 days and has now issued 49 executive actions using his emergency powers.
“The time has come for Gov. Walz to recognize the seriousness of our economic situation,” Drazkowski added. “We need to reopen the economy and let Minnesotans reclaim control of their lives. Instead, Democrats are making promises they can’t keep: loans and grants that they can’t sustain when state tax revenues have shrunk.”
“Minnesota cannot spend its way out of this economic disaster with blank checks. The best way to get this economy moving again is to put people back to work. We will continue to push for this state to reopen, and we hope the people of Minnesota will make their voices heard by contacting their elected officials,” he continued.
In response to the Republican efforts, House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) introduced a resolution to waive the House’s right to terminate a peacetime emergency for a 30-day period.
The governor faced harsh criticism Thursday from Republican lawmakers after he extended his stay-at-home order for another two weeks.
“If we fail to correct our course, we will see devastating effects and no amount of taxpayer money will fix the problems we are creating,” Rep. Jeremy Munson (R-Lake Crystal) said in a statement. “Every time we meet the objectives set by an order, Gov. Walz changes the goal. The original goal was to flatten the curve – it’s flat. Then it was to build ICU beds – we have hundreds of extra ICU beds.”
As of Friday, Minnesota had 5,730 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 371 deaths, and 369 current hospitalizations. Of those who are hospitalized, just 118 are in an ICU, according to the Department of Health.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Minnesota House Chambers” by Chris Gaukel. CC BY-SA 2.0.
