Joyce Secures Critical Relief for Restaurants and Their Employees in Emergency COVID-19 Package

Press Release

Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) released the below statement tonight after voting for the combined COVID-19 relief, FY2021 government funding bill:

"It shouldn't have taken so long for Congress to come together and agree on this package, but I'm thankful that much-needed relief is finally on its way to hardworking Buckeyes struggling with the impact of this pandemic," said Joyce. "This legislation will help provide our communities with the tools and resources they need during these tough times and support Ohioans as they battle the impact this virus has had on their health and economic security. With vaccines being distributed across the country, there is light at the end of the tunnel but we're not out of the woods yet. The relief in this bill will ensure our small businesses, workers, healthcare professionals, students, and families have what they need to keep their heads above water until we defeat this virus once and for all."

Importantly, the COVID-19 relief included a bill introduced by Joyce: the Supporting America's Restaurant Workers Act, a bill that makes a commonsense adjustment in order to lead to more customers and increased revenue for restaurants and their employees during the pandemic. Specifically, the version of the bill included in the final relief package would provide a 100% deduction for business meal expenses through the end of 2022. Currently, the deduction is available for only 50% of such expenses. Learn more about Joyce's original legislation here.

Additional highlights in the COVID-19 relief package include but are not limited to:

$284 billion for another round of Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans*;
a provision that allows small businesses to deduct expenses on their taxes for costs that were paid for with their PPP loan*;
$8.75 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support federal and state efforts to procure and distribute vaccines;
$600 direct payments to eligible Americans;
$3 billion for the Relief Provider Fund to provide grants to hospitals and health systems*;
expansion of the employee retention tax credit to help employers keep workers on the payroll during the pandemic*;
$3.25 billion for the Strategic National Stockpile to rebuild our nation's supply of critical goods like PPE;
$82 billion to make schools and colleges safer for in-person learning*;
$7 billion to increase access to broadband in rural and underserved communities*;
$19.695 billion for Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to procure and manufacture vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics;
$10 billion to prevent delays and interruptions in USPS services*;
renewed federal supplemental unemployment benefits for 10 weeks at $300 per week;
$20 billion for small business disaster loans in low-income communities;
$15 billion in grants to live entertainment venues*;
$22 billion to support COVID-19 testing and contact tracing at the state-level;
$28 million for State Departments of Agriculture to support stress assistance programs for individuals engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture operations; and
extending a federal moratorium on evictions through January 31, 2021.
*indicates provisions Joyce has either personally advocated for or joined his colleagues in the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in fighting for.

Source