U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) recently signed on as a cosponsor of a Republican bill that would provide $60 billion to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to assist American restaurant owners impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically, the Entrepreneurs Need Timely Replenishment for Eating Establishments (ENTRÉE) Act, H.R. 4568, would amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to provide the additional appropriations for, and oversight of, the RRF. The funds would come from rescinding money from unspent Economic Injury Disaster Loans and state and local funds authorized under the American Rescue Plan, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Armstrong’s office.
“This commonsense legislation will use unspent allocated dollars rather than continuing to recklessly grow the national deficit,” said Rep. Armstrong, who on Aug. 6 became one of more than 60 Republicans to cosponsor H.R. 4568, which U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) sponsored on July 20.
If enacted, the measure also would increase oversight responsibilities and audit requirements for the Small Business Administration, which oversees the RRF; eliminate preferential treatment for priority groups; and require all applications to be received, reviewed, processed, and disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Rep. Armstrong’s bill summary.
“American restaurant owners have worked hard to keep their doors open during the pandemic,” Rep. Armstrong said. “The ENTRÉE Act will help restaurant owners receive the assistance they need to continue to provide jobs and serve their communities.”
H.R. 4568 has been referred for consideration to both the U.S. House Small Business Committee and the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee.