WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) voted to secure urgently needed relief for small businesses and restaurants across Pennsylvania. The Relief for Restaurants & Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act will replenish funding for restaurants and establish a new program supporting other small businesses impacted by the pandemic.

"I voted to replenish the popular Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) because our district is home to some of the best restaurants Pennsylvania has to offer, and we need to make sure they can continue serving our community,” said Houlahan. “When we passed the American Rescue Plan last year, the RRF program was included as a lifeline to our local eateries that needed it most. And it worked. Nearly 150 restaurants right here in Chester and Berks Counties received grants totaling $44 million, but the funding was soon exhausted. With our economy opening up, we need to make sure all restaurants find their footing by keeping hardworking Pennsylvanians on payroll and on the job—this legislation will help do exactly that.”

Houlahan added: “We all hope the worst of the pandemic is behind us. The reality is restaurants were hit hard over the last two years and even though they are open, too many are hanging on by a thread. As new variants spread, some people are still reluctant to return, so while we work out supply chain and labor market disruptions, we need to help these businesses survive for the sake of our communities and the thousands of jobs they provide. I'm also encouraged to know that we have taken steps to ensure these targeted funds are used to the greatest benefit of our community, and I welcomed President Biden's decision to appoint a Chief Prosecutor to go after bad actors who commit pandemic fraud."

Established through Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund distributed $28.6 billion to restaurants across the country – including $44 million for 147 businesses in Pennsylvania’s Sixth Congressional District. While no Republicans supported the American Rescue Plan, today’s vote was bipartisan, showing broad support for these hardest hit industries. Due to the popularity of the RRF, 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.

Local businesses that previously benefited from the RRF in Pennsylvania’s 6^th Congressional District weighed in:

“Our small business was in its infancy when covid hit. While we’re hopefully beyond capacity limits and mask mandates we still face an uncertain future. To be here as long as we have is only because of the lifeline that was the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.”

- Dan Knabb, Be Here Brewing – Avondale

“When business was slow, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund helped us – we were able to create more outdoor seating. It also helped with payroll when the business wasn’t making enough to pay people. Thankfully, Roots probably won’t need that funding the next go around, but I can think of a bunch of businesses that would.”

- Dan Merola, Roots Cafe – West Chester

In Berks County, 66 businesses throughout Reading, West Reading, Wyomissing, and Sinking Spring received a total of $24 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania entertainment venues with more time and flexibility to use federal relief funds.
• In July of 2021, Houlahan’s efforts helped deliver millions in funding to save local movie venues, including The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville and Fox Theatres which operates in Wyomissing.

Read about the Department of Justice’s plan to prevent, deter, and punish identity theft and other forms of pandemic fraud here.

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator and a nonprofit leader. She represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Small Business Committee. She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward.”

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