National Restaurant Association Statement on Bipartisan Vote to Pass the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National Restaurant Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Sean Kennedy today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7010 the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act.   

Authored by Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Chip Roy (R-TX), the bill makes a number of important improvements to the PPP which will benefit restaurants and their employees.  The bill was passed by a vote of 417-1. 

“Restaurants have suffered more job and revenue losses than any other sector of the economy because of mandated closures and restrictions on operating.  This is why we have expressed, since the beginning of the COVID crisis, that our industry’s unique operations require a flexible recovery program."

“While the PPP program can be a critical tool for helping restaurants and small businesses, changes to the program are needed so it can be utilized as intended."

“Today, the House of Representatives acted with overwhelming bipartisan support to make the PPP program more flexible.  We are grateful for the leadership of Reps. Dean Phillips and Chip Roy, and for the bipartisan support of more than 400 of their colleagues who voted for these changes."   

“Our focus will now shift toward achieving similar bipartisan results in the Senate because enacting these PPP changes will help restaurants get the relief they need to get employees back to work and on the path to recovery.”