Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) said a pending federal bill would help the state's food industry. | Courtesy Photo
Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) said a pending federal bill would help the state's food industry. | Courtesy Photo
Illinois Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) feels optimistic about a federal bill to help restaurants that have been struggling because of the pandemic.
"I have growing optimism this bipartisan proposal specific for restaurants and taverns will help our downtown gathering places that have even hit so hard in COVID," Keicher said in a Facebook post on Feb. 5.
The Restaurants Act of 2021 would establish a $120 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund for eateries with 20 locations or less.
A restaurant could get up to $10 million to help cover eligible costs associated with the pandemic, such as paying suppliers or upgrading outdoor eating spaces. The money could be paid retroactively to Feb. 15, 2020 up until eight months following the bill becoming law.
The bill is similar to one proposed last year, but was updated to allow businesses that opened after Jan. 1, including paid sick leave as an eligible expense, and base the award amount on 2020's annual loss rather than quarterly just to name a few.
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