Heres what the data shows. Reform Election Petition Requirements Now! We need to have these institutions to provide a foundation for our neighborhoods.. (More Info). The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Cardin and U.S. It only remains to be seen if Congress can come together at all. This legislation was first introduced in Congress in July of 2021, and also aimed to inject $60 billion into the RRF in order to fund a second wave. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. It goes to the Senate next. RRF refill bill fails to pass Senate in major blow to restaurant industry While the vote was not a surprise, the inability to approve S. 4008 leaves the Restaurant Revitalization Fund empty and the nearly 200,000 applicants that didn't receive grants in the dark. Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center, Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, Hopes of Replenishing RRF Dashed by Senate, Toggle Sub Navigation for Education & Resources, Toggle Sub Navigation for Issues & Advocacy, Toggle Sub Navigation for Events & Community, Toggle Sub Navigation for Research & Media, National Restaurant Association Show 2022. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., Roger Wicker, R-Miss, and Michael Bennet (D-Co.) with 6 other Republicans signing on as co-sponsors. This is not the first time over the past year that restaurants have gotten their hopes up for a restaurant relief refill. Pour en savoir plus sur notre utilisation de vos informations, veuillez consulter notre Politique relative la vie prive et notre Politique en matire de cookies. For those who did not apply during the RRFs first round, the program will beopen to all establishments that (i) have less than 200 employees, and (ii) have experienced a minimum of a 40% loss in revenue in 2020 and 2021 comparatively to 2019. In his statement to Nations Restaurant News, Blumenauer explains that the independent restaurant is the foundation of a livable community. On June 11, 2021, Congress introduced the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021 to replenish the fund with $60 billion. Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D-OR3] Permalink: https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/5/cardin-deeply-disappointed-by-failed-senate-vote-on-rrf-replenishment, 428A Russell Senate Office Bldg, Washington, D.C. 20510 | P: (202) 224-5175 | F: (202) 224-5619, U.S. Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Cardin Deeply Disappointed By Failed Senate Vote on RRF Replenishment, https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/5/cardin-deeply-disappointed-by-failed-senate-vote-on-rrf-replenishment. But starting in January, the White Housebegan casting doubtsthat any of these pieces of legislation would ever get passed, stating that the Biden administration is looking to the future as the economy is booming. The Continuing Emergency Support for Restaurants Act. Chef Geoff Tracy was one of the lucky ones. This information is the most up to date news available as of the date posted. Our public interest mission means we will never put our service behind a paywall. Congress.gov is generally updated one day after events occur, and so legislative activity shown here may be one day behind. See Changes . It includes greater auditing requirements for restaurant grants to prevent fraud, as well as new transparency and customer service provisions to ensure that SBA shares information. This bill was introduced in the 117th Congress, which met from Jan 3, 2021 to Jan 3, 2023. View Vote The Restaurant Revitalization Fund provided me a ray of hope, but now that all funds have been exhausted, I fear that I will not receive the relief I need to keep my small business open.. With the looming threat of another variant and growing challenges of inflation for both operators and consumers, the economic boost RRF could provide for those 177,000 restaurants would reach far into our communities, says Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of Public Affairs for the National Restaurant Association, in a press release. Well continue our efforts in the Senate for Congress to complete the mission of the RRF.. From a financial perspective, some of the bills funding will come from all funds recovered, seized,reclaimed, or otherwise returned from unused monies from 2020 and 2021 pandemic relief programs, including criminals that fraudulently stole billions in relief funds meant for small businesses, accordingtoa statement madeby President Biden last month. $72.2 billion. We love educating Americans about how their government works too! Daikaya did not receive funding through RRF. Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act, Allowed HTML tags: . Pizzeria Paradiso (2003 P St. NW) Chef and Owner Ruth Gresser said that she was told she qualified for an RRF disbursement, but she never got the money or any information about why. At one point, tex-mex restaurant Tortilla Coast (400 First St. Shown Here: Passed House (04/07/2022) Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022 Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021, H.R. Earlier this week, ahead of todays vote, the National Restaurant Association issued another letter to Congress, encouraging passage of RRF fund replenishment, saying 20% of restaurants currently are threatened by economic conditions. Then came Jan. 6, 2021. 3807), that included $42 billion to replenish the RRF, on April 7. Most controversially, the program ran a priority-based application system during the first 21 daysthat it went live.. The Senates failure to move this critical bill forward today will mean that far too many of these small businesses will be forced to close their doors, Cardin said. Some businesses were told they would receive RRF funds, but they never materialized. Number 8860726. Youre more than a vote, so support GovTrack today with a tip of any amount: Or keep using GovTrack for free! Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. This should be the driving factor in bipartisan support for replenishing the RRF. There are about 177,000 restaurants and bars that have been waiting desperately since last August for us to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. We hope to make GovTrack more useful to policy professionals like you. Your note is for you and will not be shared with anyone. The 177,000 restaurants that applied but didn't receive RRF funding represent around 20% of the industry, according to the National Restaurant Association, suggesting another round of restaurant-specific federal grants could improve the industry's recovery. That legislation would reportedly give food & beverage establishments $40 billion in relief, with another $8 billion going to non-F&B establishments affected by the pandemic. On Wednesday, the Independent Restaurant Coalition held an event to call on Members of Congress to save their dying small businesses. There has been a lot of moving pieces, Blumenauer said. Small . They are on the verge of closing permanently as a result.". About the National Restaurant Association
It used to be an awesome place to do business.. After nearly a year of advocating for RRF replenishment, the momentum of the last few days has been overwhelming for the restaurant industry, says Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of public affairs. In August, Tortilla Coast was evacuated again when a man in a pick-up parked with what he said was a bomb outside the Library of Congress. This is a developing story and will be updated with the results of the House vote Thursday. The coalition says if it isnt included, many small eateries will go out of business. UPDATE: The National Restaurant Association issued a statement following the bills passage. Moreover, as stated by Roll Call, Senator Benjamin Carden is reportedly not ready to take up the House legislation which is yet another obstacle to overcome. Congress introduced legislationThursday to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund with a$60 billion second round of restaurant relief,after the U.S. Small Business Administration received requests for more than triple the allocated funds the first time around. Its still a money loser right now, he said. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Following this period, all other applicants would be funded on a first-come, first-servebasis. PO Box 15477, Washington, DC 20003 | Office - 202.543.8300 | capitalcommunitynews.com. The Restaurant Revitalization Fund was established by the American Rescue Plan to provide$28.6 billion in funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses remain open in the faceof pandemic-related hardships. By then, the RFF fund was long depleted. Tracy said he still isnt sure exactly why they qualified over anyone else. District restaurants are calling on Congress to save their small businesses by refilling the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RFF) as part of the spending measure set for a vote Thursday. The U.S. House of Representatives voted yes on a bill Thursday that would provide $42 billion in relief to foodservice businesses that originally applied for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and. Theserestaurants fighting for survival cannot go it alone any longer and should not be treated as a spot in the rear-view mirror of Congress., Related: Restaurant Revitalization Fund efforts ramp up again as time is ticking for restaurant relief. Saving neighborhood restaurants, critical to infrastructure, would only take 50 to 60 billion, he said. Unfortunately, the House vote was not the end of the road for the RRF. 229 Cosponsors /sites/all/themes/penton_subtheme_nrn/images/logos/footer.png. Founded by attorneys Andreas Koutsoudakis and Michael Iakovou, KI Legal focuses on guiding companies and businesses throughout the entire legal spectrum as it relates to their business including day-to-day operations and compliance, litigation and transactional matters. This is quite the landmark decision, surprising many after months of legislative and political dead ends, and will be sure to bring relief to millions of small operators that were not able to access funds during the first round of the RRF. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Were looking for feedback from educators about how GovTrack can be used and improved for your classroom. Congress has certainly had the time to vote on and replenish the RRF. As is tradition, Congress will again be on recess for the entire month of August. (Washington, D.C.) U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) Sponsor. During the last round of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the U.S. Small Business Administration at first wanted to prioritize businesses owned by women, minorities and veterans, but after a series of discrimination lawsuits, were required to abandon this prioritization. May 3rd the RRF began accepting applications. All that might be gone. on this bill on a six-point scale from strongly oppose to strongly support. Letter: Kudos to ANC 6B For Recognizing Gottleib, 221 members of the House of Representatives, Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act, Pfizer Submits Data to FDA for 5-12 Year-Old Vaccine Trial, Southeast Friends: Monthly Book Sales Threatened by Modernization, City Administrator Obfuscates on Heliport Relocation, Are You Eligible for Monthly Basic Income? That will cut an already depleted customer base. Congress unveiled new legislation the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021 to replenish the depleted first round of restaurant relief, 2023 Informa USA, Inc., All rights reserved, Denny's raises over $1.2 million to fight childhood hunger in 12th annual No Kid Hungry fundraiser, Bojangles names Tom Boland as new chief marketing officer, Baskin-Robbins rolls out chicken-and-waffle flavored ice cream, How Jersey Mike's is becoming 'America's sandwich shop', Nations Restaurant News launches new CREATE Roadshow event series, San Diegos Trust Restaurant Group drives retention, innovation with culture of yes, Tech Tracker: Restaurant QR codes are evolving and so should yours, The Restaurant Revitalization Fund application portal is closing on May 24, SBA data confirms that the current Restaurant Revitalization Fund cant meet demand, Allowed HTML tags: . Bill summaries are authored by CRS. Although this was later challenged in court, the funds had already mostly been distributed. Foodservice Equipment Reports, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium, House Passes $42 Billion Bill To Replenish RRF, Registration Opens for FEDA Annual Conference, Global Manufacturer Taps Experienced Product Manager, In Memoriam: Jerry Greene of Hotel & Restaurant Supply. Together, these wouldmore robustly be able to provide extra, and/or extended, funding to other businesses that were affected by the pandemic, such as entertainment theaters and transportation workers. The bills titles are written by its sponsor. today issued a statement after the U.S. Senate failed to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to proceed to a debate on S.4008. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). The most notable facet of this legislation was its source of funding, which was planned to come from rescinding money from unspent Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) and other state and local funds within the purview of the American Rescue Plan. The Supreme Courts Legitimacy is in Peril, Removal of Old Growth Trees Underway at Eastern Market Plaza Park. The legislation has still not been voted on but it was . Last Friday, in a 223-203 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives voted yes to replenishing the infamous Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) after more than a year of negotiations. Obviously I need it, my partners need it we all need it, Utagawa said. In February, a bipartisan group of Senators tried to small business financial assistance bill to attach to President Bidens omnibus spending package, which would be only available to restaurant and bar operators that had previously applied for relief in 2021. Related: The Restaurant Revitalization Fund application portal is closing on May 24, While it appears that our work to prioritize restaurants most in need was successful in the first round, the extraordinary demand for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund shows that many more businesses still desperately need help, Blumenauer said in a statement. Investers stepped in to save the retaurant, but it added to the already considerable opening debt, which now includes rent deferrment, loans and credit cards. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) introduced the legislation in both chambers of Congress, which provides $60 billion in additional funding for the RRF. /sites/all/themes/penton_subtheme_nrn/images/logos/footer.png, The U.S. House of Representatives is likely to vote on a $55 billion small business aid package that would distribute $42 billion to the restaurant industry, 2023 Informa USA, Inc., All rights reserved, Denny's raises over $1.2 million to fight childhood hunger in 12th annual No Kid Hungry fundraiser, Bojangles names Tom Boland as new chief marketing officer, Baskin-Robbins rolls out chicken-and-waffle flavored ice cream, How Jersey Mike's is becoming 'America's sandwich shop', Nations Restaurant News launches new CREATE Roadshow event series, San Diegos Trust Restaurant Group drives retention, innovation with culture of yes, Tech Tracker: Restaurant QR codes are evolving and so should yours, Restaurant Revitalization Fund is dropped from omnibus spending bill as hope for relief dwindles, Restaurant Revitalization Fund efforts ramp up again as time is ticking for restaurant relief, Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act, Allowed HTML tags: . Most significantly, recipients were not required to repay the funding as long as they used saidfunds no later than March of 2023.