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Restaurant relief overwhelmingly passed by bipartisan Senate

A budget resolution amendment meant to provide relief for the restaurant industry was passed 90-10 in the Senate Thursday

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

February 4, 2021

1 Min Read
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The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the budget Thursday calling for direct relief to the restaurant industry in a 90-10 vote. The Restaurant Rescue Plan which was initially proposed in a bipartisan effort by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.), was based on the original RESTAURANTS Act that was put forth in June.

The budget resolution was filed jointly Tuesday by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and is meant to provide urgently needed funding for President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which includes “a dedicated grant relief program for restaurants” totaling $25 billion.

House Republicans put forth hundreds of amendments to the proposed budget resolution, including lowering the income threshold for receiving $1,400 stimulus checks from $75,000 to $50,000 and objections to the $15 minimum wage hike.

The Senate is not expected to finish voting on the budget and its added amendments until late Thursday into early Friday. 

Read more about The Senate overwhelmingly passing the restaurant relief budget resolution amendment on NRN here.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @joannafantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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