Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) voted to pass H.R. 3807, the Relief for Restaurants and Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act, critical legislation to secure urgently needed relief for small businesses across Massachusetts. The bill will deliver $55 billion to replenish funding for restaurants, particularly those that missed out on the initial Restaurant Revitalization Fund disbursement, and establish a new program supporting other small businesses impacted by the pandemic.

During debate on the House floor, Trahan spoke in support of the legislation:

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The American Rescue Plan, passed by the House and signed into law last year, included $28.6 billion for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund to provide relief to restaurants and food and beverage businesses devastated by the pandemic. The Fund helped more than 100,000 establishments meet their financial obligations, but more than 170,000 eligible applicants were unable to take advantage of this support after funding ran out. In Massachusetts, about 1 in every 3 restaurants that applied for RRF funding received relief.

This Relief for Restaurants and Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act provides $42 billion to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund – allowing the Small Business Administration to process remaining requests and award much needed grants to establishments still struggling as a result of the pandemic.

This legislation also provides $13 billion to establish the Hard Hit Industries Award Program, an SBA initiative to assist small businesses from across industries that were hardest hit by the pandemic and lost revenue but were not eligible for other grants or awards. Additionally, the bill amends the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program by extending the timeframe that current award recipients are required to incur expenses and expend grant funds.

This legislation would be funded in part by transferring funds that are reclaimed, seized or returned to the Federal Government, primarily from bad actors attempting to defraud prior small business pandemic relief funds, including the Paycheck Protection Program, Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program, COVID EIDL loans and others. 

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Congresswoman Lori Trahan

Remarks as Delivered

Full Consideration of the Relief for Restaurants and Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act

April 7, 2022

Thank you, Madam Speaker. 

Every member of this chamber has had the privilege of meeting with hardworking small business owners in their districts who overcame incredible challenges to stay open during the pandemic. The stories that stick with me the most are the ones from family-owned establishments, community staples, like Simply Khmer in Lowell, Terra Luna in Lawrence. 

These businesses accessed relief through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and it helped them keep their doors open and their employees on staff. But for every Simply Khmer and Terra Luna, there are three or four other restaurants who applied but didn't get the relief they needed because the fund ran out of money. And that's left many businesses hanging on by a thread, pleading for help. 

Passing the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act will answer those calls for aid. Madam Speaker, we owe these restaurants and small businesses this legislation, and there's simply no reason anyone in Congress should oppose it. I ask my colleagues to join us in passing this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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