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REP. DANNY K. DAVIS VOTES FOR NEW RELIEF FUNDING FOR ILLINOIS’ RESTAURANTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES

April 8, 2022
Press Release

Chicago – U. S. Rep. Danny K. Davis voted to secure urgently needed relief for small businesses across the state and his congressional district.  The Relief for Restaurants & Other Hard Hit, Small Businesses Act, will deliver $55 billion to replenish funding for district-wide restaurants and establish a new program supporting other small businesses impacted by the pandemic.

Davis said, “The congressional district that I represent includes China Town, Little Italy, Greek Town, Ukrainian Village, and many more communities with hundreds of restaurants which need the federal government’s help.  This legislation will help restaurants, big and small, in the communities and downtown recover from the COVID epidemic.

 This bill will enable restaurants that couldn’t take advantage of this program the first time to access essential relief in the wake of the omicron wave.  This bill will also establish a new program to support Illinois’ hardest-hit small businesses – delivering assistance to businesses that have suffered revenue losses of at least 40 percent during the pandemic

 Established through the American Rescue Plan, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) distributed $28.6 billion to restaurants, including 3.4 billion for Illinois businesses.  Unfortunately, the program quickly exhausted its funding due to the need 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.

The types of businesses that received funding include:

  • Restaurant
  • Caterer
  • Saloon, Lounge
  • Tavern
  • Food Stand
  • Food Truck,

  • Food Cart
  • Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bar
  • Bakery
  • Inn
  • Brewpub, Tasting Room, Taproom
  • Brewery and/or microbrewery
  • Licensed Alcohol Producer
  • Winery
  • Distillery

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 Illinois 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 Illinois entertainment venues with more time and flexibility to use federal relief funds.