You are reading

Meng Redoubles Effort to Push Restaurant Aid Bill Through Congress

(Stock: Unsplash)

Oct. 20, 2020 By Allie Griffin

Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng and Long Island Congressman Peter King are redoubling their efforts to push a bill through Congress that would provide monetary aid to struggling restaurant owners.

The pair met with industry leaders Friday just three days before the state moratorium on commercial evictions were set to expire on Oct. 20. Many restaurant owners who have struggled to pay their rent during the pandemic are now in a dire situation.

Meng, a Democrat, and King, a Republican, co-sponsored a bill that could help mom-and-pop shops pay their rent.

The bill — called the Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act of 2020 — passed the House on Oct. 1 as part of the updated HEROES Act.

The two lawmakers are now urging the Senate to pass the bill that would support restaurants in their time of need.

Passage of the legislation would create a $120 billion stabilization fund for restaurants that would save tens of thousands of businesses and as many as 6 million jobs across the country.

The bill would provide “Restaurant Stabilization Grants” to cover the difference of revenues made by restaurants last year and their projected revenues for 2020. The grants could be spent on costs such as rent, payroll, benefits, mortgage, maintenance, supplies, utilities, food, debt or obligations to suppliers.

Meng said the legislation should be enacted as soon as possible to help millions of people who work in the food and drink industry.

“In Queens and across New York City, restaurants and drinking establishments play a vital role in providing jobs and contributing to our region’s economy,” she said. “Failing to help these types of businesses will greatly harm our borough and country’s recovery, and the lives of so many who are part of the service industry.”

Last year, more than 23,000 restaurants citywide provided 317,000 jobs and delivered $27 billion in taxable sales, according to the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the industry.

In June, four of every five restaurants and bars were unable to pay their full rent, according to a study from the NYC Hospitality Alliance. Restaurant jobs fell to 91,000 in April and sales decreased 71 percent during the three-month period of March, April and May compared to last year, a report from New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli found.

Thomas Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, said there’s no time to waste in enacting the bill. Restaurant owners need relief now, he said.

“Restaurant and bar owners create economic opportunity in every community in every city and state across the country,” Grech said. “They add to the character of our neighborhoods, and help immigrants and strive for the American dream. Right now, they need our help.”

Restauranteur Joseph Smith, owner of Bobby Vans Steakhouses, applauded the Congress members’ efforts to get the bill signed into law.

“Having been in business for over 50 years with eight restaurants employing nearly 400 employees, this is a do or die situation for my business and all the other restaurants in the US,” Smith said.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Repeat hate crime offender charged in anti-Muslim subway attack in Forest Hills: DA

A Southeast Queens man is being held without bail after he was criminally charged with assault in the first degree as a hate crime and other charges for allegedly punching and kicking a Muslim woman on an E train in Forest Hills during the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 18.

Naved Durrni, 34, of 106th Avenue in Jamaica, was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Thursday and additionally charged with aggravated harassment in the first and second degrees.

Hate Crimes Task Force investigating bomb threats against Mamdani: NYPD

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force launched a probe into multiple death threats made against Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani after his district office at 24-08 32nd St. in Astoria received four expletive-filled phone voicemails, on various dates, making threatening anti-Muslim statements by an unknown individual, including a threat to blow up his car.

The calls were made from an untraceable number and labeled the mayoral candidate a “terrorist who is not welcome in New York or America” in a message phoned in on Wednesday morning.

Seven teens indicted for attempted murder in brutal Kissena Park gang attack on two girls: DA

A Queens grand jury indicted seven teenagers for attempted murder, gang assault, robbery, and other crimes for an attack on two girls inside Kissena Park in Flushing in early May.

The defendants, who are all 17 years old, were variously arraigned in Queens Supreme Court between June 4 and Wednesday in two separate 25-count indictments with two counts of attempted murder in the second degree. If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison.

Queens Defenders founder charged with stealing nonprofit funds as second scandal unfolds

The founder of the Queens Defenders and her husband have lawyered up after they were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the non-profit organization.

Former Queens Defenders executive director Lori Zeno, 64, surrendered Wednesday at the Brooklyn federal courthouse. Zeno was arraigned on an indictment charging her and Rashad Ruhani, 55, with wire fraud conspiracy, theft, money laundering conspiracy and other crimes.