Rep. Anthony Gonzalez Joins Trump's Task Force To Reopen America

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, whose district encompasses several Northeast Ohio towns, has been appointed to President Donald Trump's task force to reopen the economy. State officials have already signaled they are considering gradually reopening portions of the economy starting May 1.

The spread of the new coronavirus prompted several states, including Ohio, to issue stay-at-home orders. Those orders shuttered non-essential businesses and told residents to stay home unless it was absolutely necessary to go out.

In recent days, Gov. Mike DeWine and other state officials have said Ohioans have blunted the spread of COVID-19 and it is now time to considering reopening the economy. Gonzalez agrees.

"Americans have come together across the country to stop the spread of COVID-19, and our efforts are paying off. As we continue to make progress in lowering the curve and look towards recovery, it is imperative that we ensure our nation has a plan in place that will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our communities while allowing us to successfully regrow our businesses and put our citizens back to work," Gonzalez said in a statement.

Gonzalez's district includes cities like Strongsville and Rocky River.

According to Politico, the task force held a conference call on Thursday and several politicians shared ideas about how to reopen the economy. Officials talked about the need for more testing for COVID-19 and the dire circumstances many states face economically.

On the state level, DeWine joined six other governors in a pact to reopen the economy in the Midwest. The partnership includes Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana and Kentucky.

"We are doing everything we can to protect the people of our states and slow the spread of COVID-19, and we are eager to work together to mitigate the economic crisis this virus has caused in our region," the governors of each state said in a statement.