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Congressman David Scott (GA-13) today joined more than 100 members of Congress in a bipartisan letter to House leadership urging them to quickly replenish the Restaurants Revitalization Fund (RRF) program to meet the current demand.

Nearly 38,000 RRF applicants have been approved for more than $6 billion in funding according to data released last week by the Small Business Administration. Just yesterday, SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman testified that the RRF program had received more than 362,000 applications requesting $75 billion in funding, far exceeding the $28.6 billion originally allocated to the fund.

“We urge you to work together with House Small Business Committee leadership and the SBA to bring a bill to the floor that would allocate funds so every eligible applicant can receive assistance. Our economy is still emerging from the immense damage of the COVID-19 crisis and our hardest hit small businesses, such as restaurants, bars, and food trucks, are still navigating the impacts of over a year of lockdown orders and limits to capacity among other health requirements,” wrote the lawmakers.

“The COVID-19 crisis has placed at risk the very survival of these cornerstones of our communities and thousands have been forced to close their doors for good,” said Congressman David Scott.  “Restaurants and culinary small businesses in Georgia’s 13th Congressional district have made it clear: they still need our help, and they need it now. We have the opportunity to ensure these small businesses get the relief they need by replenishing this program to meet the current need.”

Georgia’s 13th Congressional District is home to over 1,100 restaurants, employing more than 24,700 Georgians. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Congressman Scott has worked diligently to help restaurants and small businesses survive, voting to pass legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program and the Bankruptcy Relief Extension Act of 2021 to provide relief to small businesses in bankruptcy, including those related to COVID-19 related closures.

More information on the RRF program can be found here.

The signed letter can be found here.

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