$1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package Clears Congress, Advances to President Biden

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Congress passed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, which now advances to President Joe Biden for an expected signature.

Unlike past administrations, Biden’s signature is not in question, with the president tweeting, “Help is here,” on Wednesday afternoon.

The legislation includes language from the “Restaurant Revitalization Fund,” which includes assistance for brewpubs, taprooms and tasting rooms. Not-for-profit trade group the Brewers Association (BA) successfully lobbied for inclusion of language modeled after H.R. 793/S.255 (the RESTAURANTS Act).

“We applaud the inclusion of this language in the American Rescue Plan and will keep working to pass the RESTAURANTS Act, which would provide $120 billion in funding for grants for hospitality businesses (more than the $28 billion currently available in the fund),” BA president and CEO Bob Pease wrote in a letter to members today.

Pease shared a number of provisions that breweries will be eligible to take advantage of within the package, including:

  • The creation of a $28.6 billion fund that will provide grants to hospitality businesses, including breweries;
  • For the first 60 days of the program, $5 billion of the $28.6 billion will be reserved for restaurants with less than $500,000 in gross receipts in 2019;
  • Businesses with less than 20 locations can apply for grants covering the difference between 2019 and 2020 revenues;
  • Businesses can apply for a grant up to $10 million;
  • Grant money can go toward covering payroll and benefits (excluding employee compensation exceeding $100,000 annually), mortgage (no prepayments), rent (no prepayments), utilities, maintenance, supplies (including protective gear and cleaning materials), food, operational expenses, covered supplier costs, and other expenses deemed essential.
  • Businesses that opened in 2020 will be able to apply for grants to cover the cost of eligible expenses incurred during that calendar year;
  • The Small Business Administration (SBA) will administer the program, which goes into effect immediately.

Pease encouraged BA members to contact their Congress members and urge them to support full funding of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

BA chief economist Bart Watson credited the organization’s federal affairs director, Katie Marisic, with helping small brewery owners receive access to the grants.

Look for more from the BA once Biden signs the relief package into law, including a webinar on how to access grants within the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.