Blunt Rochester Votes For New Relief Funding For Delaware's Restaurants And Small Businesses

Statement

Today, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) voted to secure urgently needed relief for restaurants and small businesses across Delaware. H.R. 3807, the Relief for Restaurants & Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act, will deliver $55 billion to replenish funding for Delaware restaurants and food & beverage businesses and will establish a new program supporting other small businesses impacted by the pandemic.

"Delaware's restaurants and small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, our communities, and our pandemic recovery," said Rep. Blunt Rochester. "When I voted to pass the American Rescue Plan in March of last year, I knew that the relief provided in that historic legislation would be a lifeline to business owners across the First State. The Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which was created in the American Rescue Plan, immediately began to help Delaware businesses reopen, recover, and rehire. Throughout the past year, I've had the opportunity to visit many of these businesses across the First State and hear their stories of how this funding saved their businesses. That's why today, I proudly voted for the Relief for Restaurants & Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act that will build on the success of the American Rescue Plan: enabling restaurants that weren't able to take advantage of this program the first time to access essential relief."

Established through the American Rescue Plan, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) distributed $28.6 billion to restaurants across the country -- including $67.8 million for Delaware. Due to its popularity, the program quickly exhausted its funding before more than 170,000 eligible businesses could access relief. The Relief for Restaurants & Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act will provide $42 billion to replenish the RRF so that these restaurants can apply for this assistance.

This legislation also takes action to support other struggling small businesses:

Providing $13 billion to establish the Hard Hit Industries Award Program, which will assist Delaware small businesses with 200 or fewer employees that have experienced 40 percent or more in lost revenue.
Updating the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program to provide Delaware entertainment venues with more time and flexibility to use federal relief funds.

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