Restaurants ‘frustrated as hell’ after GOP filibusters COVID aid

The Senate failed to overcome a key procedural hurdle to advance a $48 billion bill to provide Covid aid to a number of industries, effectively ending the final bid from restaurants, gyms, bus companies, venues and other small businesses for government pandemic assistance. The 52-43 vote was a massive blow to a fierce and yearlong lobbying campaign by the restaurant industry in particular, which would have received $40 billion more for an industry grant program. — “We are frustrated as hell that a majority of the Senate voted today to begin debate on a critical piece of legislation for the rest of the nation's restaurant industry,” Sean Kennedy, the top lobbyist at the National Restaurant Association, said in an interview following the vote.

“But because of the filibuster, a lot of restaurant operators are literally in tears,” he said. “I was on a group chat with restaurant operators during the vote. And there are operators who told me point blank, ‘It's over. I’m $600,000 in debt. I'm out.’” — In a last-ditch effort to win support for moving to debate the bill on the floor, Senate Small Business Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said the bill’s sponsors were willing to accept amendments to refine the bill further and bring the cost down, in response to concerns that had previously been raised by Republicans about offering another round of deficit-financed Covid relief. — But there appeared to be questions of support from Democrats, as well. Cardin mentioned Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) in particular, saying one of the caucus’ key swing votes wanted the bill to prioritize repayment of debt. In a statement afterward, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the current version of the bill “too expensive” and complained that it “does not have enough guardrails on how the money will be spent.” Both senators ultimately voted to begin debate on the bill. But looking at the final tally, “today's vote was a group of senators [saying] they didn't even want to consider amending a bill to help the restaurant industry,” Kennedy said.