Amata Cosponsors Pandemic Relief Bill for Restaurants
Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata has cosponsored the bipartisan Restaurant Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022 (H.R. 3807), which the House passed Thursday, that would provide new relief particularly for restaurants, along with certain other small businesses.
"Since early 2020 our restaurants have had strong headwinds to overcome," Congresswoman Amata said. "First, tourism and travelers came to a sudden stop two years ago, and now they are impacted by inflation, fuel costs, and other obstacles."
The legislation, which still requires Senate action, would provide $42 billion in additional restaurant relief, and includes $13 billion for other hard-hit industries. This new small business pandemic relief is led by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
Specifically, the bill replenishes a program of the Small Business Administration (SBA) known as the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), which provides grants directly to restaurants struggling with pandemic-caused cost increases and losses of customers. Under funding from prior legislation, this program successfully assisted over 100,000 restaurants nationwide, however, another 90,000 restaurants throughout the country have closed permanently since the pandemic started, and the industry has been reduced by about one million jobs.
The RRF was created by Congress in COVID response legislation, with funds added in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and made available at the time through a Small Business Administration (SBA) portal while those funds lasted.
Once the bill becomes law and the SBA program is funded again for new grants, restaurants and similar food providers would qualify to apply. Notably, these will include any style or type of restaurant that provides food, such as a food stand, food truck, caterer, bar, tavern, pub, bakery, or brewery. Note that the SBA Portal is not yet able to take new applications, but that information will be announced promptly once RRF grants are available again.
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