Support Hometown Attractions supports H.R. 3807 expanding RRF eligibility

By | April 6, 2022

Representative Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced H. R. 3807, which proposes to amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to increase appropriations to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund ($42 billion) and other “hard hit industries” like ours ($13 billion) that were unable to access previous pandemic relief programs. The bill will be debated on the House floor this week and may be voted on Thursday morning.The time to contact your congressperson is NOW!

Contact Your Elected Officials Here

Background Information

The Support Hometown Attractions Coalition continues to wage an aggressive campaign along several policy fronts, including advocating for supplemental Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) grant relief only if it is expanded to include small to mid-size parks, attractions, and family entertainment centers similarly impacted by mandated closures.

As the coalition reported in mid-March, RRF advocates asked Congress to supplement the fund to the tune of $50 billion. Because of your engagement, the $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package was enacted without a second round of RRF funding. The coalition’s message that “all impacted hospitality and travel and tourism businesses should be eligible for additional grant relief, or none should be eligible” resonated loudly with elected officials.

Fast forward 3 weeks, and your engagement continues to pay off. Representative Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced H. R. 3807, which proposes to amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to increase appropriations to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund ($42 billion) and other “hard hit industries” like ours ($13 billion) that were unable to access previous pandemic relief programs. The bill will be debated on the House floor this week and could be voted on as soon as Thursday morning.

If the bill is passed out of the House, it will move to the Senate for consideration. This issue will face headwinds in the Senate since some Republicans have concerns about how it will be funded. But the coalition will engage accordingly at that time.