Luetkemeyer introduces the ENTRÉE Act to aid America's struggling restaurant owners
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday evening, House Committee on Small Business Ranking Member Blaine Luetkemeyer introduced H.R. 4568, Entrepreneurs Need Timely Replenishment for Eating Establishments (ENTRÉE) Act.
Due to overreaching shutdown measures and altered capacity restrictions, restaurant owners from coast to coast have struggled to keep their doors open this past year. The ENTRÉE Act aims to assist American restaurant owners who are working tirelessly to serve their employees and communities.
"From the beginning, Committee Republicans have pushed for additional RRF funding to ensure all American restaurant owners, no matter their background, receive the assistance they need to once again open their doors and provide for their communities," said Ranking Member Luetkemeyer. "To replenish the RRF, we should be using unspent allocated dollars rather than continuing to recklessly print more money, which has led to widespread inflation. As Republican Leader of the Small Business Committee, I urge my colleagues to swiftly pass this legislation so restaurant owners everywhere can receive the assistance they so desperately need."
The ENTRÉE Act will:
Background on the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF):
Through the partisan Budget Reconciliation process, the Biden administration and Congressional Democrats crafted the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund that aimed to provide grants to eligible food eatery establishments struggling from the pandemic.
Committee Republicans recognized that $28.6 billion was not nearly enough funding to assist all of the eligible restaurants and proposed amendments to add more commonsense funding to the RRF. Democrats struck down these amendments and went forward without Republican support.
The American Rescue Plan created a 21-day priority period for women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged applicants. This exclusionary decision was met with lawsuits that eventually halted the program and the SBA's allocation of RRF funds.
Due to overreaching shutdown measures and altered capacity restrictions, restaurant owners from coast to coast have struggled to keep their doors open this past year. The ENTRÉE Act aims to assist American restaurant owners who are working tirelessly to serve their employees and communities.
"From the beginning, Committee Republicans have pushed for additional RRF funding to ensure all American restaurant owners, no matter their background, receive the assistance they need to once again open their doors and provide for their communities," said Ranking Member Luetkemeyer. "To replenish the RRF, we should be using unspent allocated dollars rather than continuing to recklessly print more money, which has led to widespread inflation. As Republican Leader of the Small Business Committee, I urge my colleagues to swiftly pass this legislation so restaurant owners everywhere can receive the assistance they so desperately need."
The ENTRÉE Act will:
- Provide $60 billion to the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) paid for by rescinding money from unspent Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and state and local funds within President Biden’s reckless American Rescue Plan.
- Increase oversight responsibilities and audit requirements for the SBA to safeguard American taxpayer dollars.
- Eliminate preferential treatment for priority groups.
- Require all applications to be received, reviewed, processed, and disbursed on a first come, first served basis.
Background on the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF):
Through the partisan Budget Reconciliation process, the Biden administration and Congressional Democrats crafted the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund that aimed to provide grants to eligible food eatery establishments struggling from the pandemic.
Committee Republicans recognized that $28.6 billion was not nearly enough funding to assist all of the eligible restaurants and proposed amendments to add more commonsense funding to the RRF. Democrats struck down these amendments and went forward without Republican support.
The American Rescue Plan created a 21-day priority period for women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged applicants. This exclusionary decision was met with lawsuits that eventually halted the program and the SBA's allocation of RRF funds.
Are you looking for a shipping solution? Maybe you need to change freight carriers? Find out what the hard working and reliable people at Team Worldwide can do over land, sea and air
