Foster Votes for New Relief Funding for Illinois Restaurants and Small Businesses

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) voted to give urgently needed relief to small businesses across Illinois. The Relief for Restaurants & Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act will deliver $55 billion to replenish funding for restaurants across the country, including in Illinois, and establish a new program supporting other small businesses impacted by the pandemic.

"Small businesses are the backbone of Illinois' economy and are helping power our historic economic recovery from the pandemic," said Foster. "But even as we begin to return to normal life, countless small businesses are still struggling. With the American Rescue Plan, we created the Restaurant Revitalization Fund: a lifeline for over 4,500 Illinois businesses to help them reopen and rehire. Today, I proudly voted for legislation that will build on that success: enabling restaurants that weren't able to take advantage of this program the first time to access essential relief in the wake of the omicron wave. I will continue fighting to help entrepreneurs in Illinois keep employees on payroll and keep small businesses open in our communities."

Established through the American Rescue Plan, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) distributed $28.6 billion to restaurants across the country – including$1.4 billion for Illinois businesses. Due to the enormous need, the program quickly exhausted its funding, leaving behind more than 170,000 eligible businesses - many of them small family-owned restaurants and businesses - that were unable to 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 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.

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