Harder Votes for Additional Aid to Central Valley Restaurants and Small Businesses

WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Josh Harder voted to pass the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Actto replenish the relief fund with an additional $42 billion and provide $13 billion to establish a new program for small businesses with less than 200 employees that lost revenue during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund provided $28.6 billion in grants to help more than 101,000 restaurants, bars, food trucks, caterers, tasting rooms, and taprooms recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes 141 small businesses in Rep. Harder’s district who received almost $33 million in direct pandemic aid from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

Now, Rep. Harder is determined to deliver additional aid to the more than 177,000 food and beverage establishments who applied but did not receive the funds they needed as the total supply of funds had run out. The Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment Act will ensure that all eligible restaurants can get the help they need.

“Our restaurants, bars, food trucks and small businesses not only feed our whole community, they power our entire economy. That’s why last year I was proud to deliver almost $33 million directly to 141 of our small businesses so they could stay above water during the pandemic,” said Rep. Harder. “As our small businesses recover and rebuild, I’m committed to delivering them the additional funds they need to come back stronger than ever.”

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