By: KDKA-TV News Staff

HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Some restaurant owners went to Harrisburg on Wednesday to try to convince lawmakers to provide funding relief or lift current restrictions.

During their meetings, they shared stories of the hardships they've faced in the past year due to the pandemic.

They also requested to be able to stay open longer and sell alcohol without food.

"We really appreciate you are working to get us financial aid, we need that financial aid, but what we really need is to be open at a level that is reasonable to doing business that's what our employees need, they need to go back to work," said John Longstreet, the president of the PA Restaurant and Lodging Association.

The health department has been reluctant to lift restrictions, citing the emergence of new, more contagious COVID-19 variants.