RESTAURANTS Act reintroduced to House and Senate

Today, the RESTAURANTS Act of 2021 (Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive) was reintroduced in the House and Senate. Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of Public Affairs for the National Restaurant Association released the following statement:

“The unified RESTAURANTS Act of 2021 is a light at the end of a long, dark winter for independent, chain, and franchise restaurants that have been most impacted by the pandemic. While many other industries have started to recover, the restaurant industry finished last year in a double-dip recession, and with 2.5 million fewer jobs.

“The bill introduced today finally reflects the unified view that all small restaurants should have access to relief—regardless of whether they are an independent or a franchise of a regional chain."

In a statement issued by the sponsors of the RESTAURANTS Act, Tom Bené, president & CEO of the Association, added, “The RESTAURANTS Act of 2021 places independent, chain, and franchise restaurants on a path to economic survival. In an era when agreement in Congress is rare, we appreciate the strong bipartisan leadership from Senators Roger Wicker and Kyrsten Sinema and Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Brian Fitzpatrick. Our members desperately need this legislation, and we look forward to working together with Congress as we continue our efforts to advance the recovery of the entire restaurant industry.”

The $120 billion revitalization fund would allow restaurant owners to apply for grants to cover eligible expenses retroactively back to Feb. 15, 2020, and up to 8 months after the legislation is signed into law.

Read Kennedy’s full statement.