[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 62 (Thursday, April 7, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4401-H4414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND REPLENISHMENT ACT OF 2021

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1033, I call 
up the bill (H.R. 3807) to amend the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
to increase appropriations to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and 
for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the 
House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1033, an 
amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules 
Committee Print 117-39, modified by the amendment printed in House 
Report 117-290, is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered 
read.
  The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:

                               H.R. 3807

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Relief for Restaurants and 
     other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 2. RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION GRANTS.

       (a) Appropriation.--Section 5003(b)(2) of the American 
     Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9009c(b)(2)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A)--
       (A) by striking ``$28,600,000,000'' and inserting 
     ``$70,600,000,000''; and
       (B) by inserting ``, of which not more than $420,000,000 
     shall be for administrative expenses to carry out this 
     section, and of which $7,500,000 shall be for the Inspector 
     General of the Small Business Administration, $7,500,000 for 
     the Department of Justice for investigative and prosecutorial 
     activities related to fraud and abuse, and $7,500,000 for 
     Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, for audits of 
     grants under this section to investigate fraud and to 
     identify improper payments and ineligible recipients, and for 
     other necessary expenses'' before the period at the end; and
       (2) in subparagraph (B)(i)(II), by striking 
     ``$23,600,000,000'' and inserting ``any remaining amounts not 
     used for a purpose authorized under subparagraph (A) or 
     clause (i) of this subparagraph''.
       (b) Insufficient Funding.--Section 5003 of the American 
     Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9009c) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Insufficient Funding.--
       ``(1) In general.--If the Administrator determines that the 
     amounts made available to carry out this section are 
     insufficient to make grants in the amount provided in 
     subsection (c)(4) to each eligible entity that has submitted 
     an application in accordance with the program guidelines in 
     effect on the day before the date of enactment of this 
     subsection, but has not received an award as of such date, 
     the Administrator shall make grants with the available 
     amounts to each such eligible applicant--
       ``(A) such that the amount of the grant that each such 
     eligible entity would have otherwise received under this 
     section is reduced by an equal percentage;
       ``(B) by establishing a maximum amount for a grant made 
     under this subsection to ensure that smaller eligible 
     entities still receive grants in the amounts provided under 
     subsection (c)(4); or
       ``(C) by providing full awards in the amounts provided 
     under subsection (c)(4) below a certain threshold (as the 
     Administrator may establish) and reducing grants above that 
     threshold by an equal percentage.
       ``(2) Reserving funds.--Nothing in paragraph (1) shall 
     prevent the Administrator from--
       ``(A) reserving funding for applicants that may be 
     determined to be eligible for a grant under this section upon 
     reconsideration; or
       ``(B) making partial awards to eligible entities on a 
     preliminary basis until the amount of funding required to 
     fund grants to all eligible applicants is established, upon 
     the completion of the reconsideration process.''.
       (c) Reports; Reconsideration; Verification of Business 
     Type.--Section 5003 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
     (15 U.S.C. 9009c), as amended by subsection (b), is further 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Reports.--The Administrator shall--
       ``(1) on a biweekly basis until the amounts made available 
     to carry out this section are fully expended, publish data 
     that shows, for the period beginning on the date on which the 
     Administrator began making grants under this section and 
     ending on the date on which the information is published--
       ``(A) with respect to applications for grants under this 
     section, the number of those applications--
       ``(i) that the Administrator has received;
       ``(ii) that the Administrator has reviewed or is in the 
     process of reviewing; and
       ``(iii) with respect to which the Administrator has made a 
     decision; and
       ``(B) the number and dollar amount of grants under this 
     section--
       ``(i) that have been awarded; and
       ``(ii) that have been disbursed;
       ``(2) on a weekly basis until the amounts made available to 
     carry out this section are fully expended, publish, with 
     respect to the period beginning on the date of enactment of 
     this subsection and ending on the date on which the 
     information is published--
       ``(A) with respect to each eligible entity to which a grant 
     is made under this section--
       ``(i) the name of the eligible entity, including the name 
     or names under which the eligible entity does business if 
     that name is different from the name of the eligible entity; 
     and
       ``(ii) the address of--

       ``(I) the eligible entity; and
       ``(II) the physical location or locations for the eligible 
     entity listed on the application, if different from the 
     address of the eligible entity;

       ``(B) the amount of each grant described in subparagraph 
     (A); and
       ``(C) the business category listed in subsection (a)(4)(A) 
     to which the eligible entity belongs.
       ``(f) Reconsideration.--
       ``(1) Explanation for denial.--With respect to an applicant 
     that applies for a grant under this section and is denied by 
     the Administrator, the Administrator shall make available to 
     the applicant a brief explanation identifying the reason why 
     the Administrator denied the application of the applicant, 
     which shall include, where applicable, a citation to the 
     statutory, regulatory, or guidance provision with which the 
     applicant

[[Page H4402]]

     failed to comply and that was the basis for the denial.
       ``(2) Process.--The Administrator shall establish a 
     reconsideration process through which the applicant may--
       ``(A) submit to the Administrator additional information 
     the applicant determines to be relevant to whether the 
     applicant is eligible for the grant; and
       ``(B) receive a review of the application and such 
     additional information submitted under subparagraph (A).
       ``(g) Verification of Business Type.--If the Administrator 
     verifies that an applicant for a loan under section 7(a)(36) 
     of the Small Business Act is not an eligible business type 
     for a grant under this section using credible information 
     other than information obtained from the application of the 
     applicant for such loan during 2020, the Administrator may 
     reject the application solely on those grounds.''.
       (d) Requirement of Continuing Operation.--For any 
     application for a grant under section 5003 of the American 
     Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9009c) that is pending on 
     the date of enactment of this Act or for which the applicant 
     has received an award notice but the Administrator has not 
     disbursed amounts under the grant, the Administrator may not 
     disburse amounts under the grant unless the applicant submits 
     a statement to the Administrator indicating the applicant is 
     still operating, or intends to reopen within 6 months after 
     the date of the statement is submitted, the place of business 
     for which such applicant is seeking such grant.
       (e) Oversight and Audits.--Section 5003 of the American 
     Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9009c), as amended by 
     subsection (c), is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(h) Oversight and Audits.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall institute an 
     oversight and audit plan with respect to eligible entities 
     receiving grants under this section, which shall include--
       ``(A) documentation requirements that are consistent with 
     the eligibility and other requirements under this section, 
     including by requiring an eligible entity that receives a 
     grant under this section to retain records that demonstrate 
     compliance with those requirements; and
       ``(B) reviews of the use of grants made under this section 
     by eligible entities.
       ``(2) Submission of plan.--Not later than 30 days after the 
     date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall 
     submit to the Committee on Small Business and 
     Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 
     Business of the House of Representatives the plan required 
     under paragraph (1), which shall describe--
       ``(A) the policies and procedures of the Administrator for 
     conducting oversight and audits of grants made under this 
     section; and
       ``(B) the metrics that the Administrator will use to 
     determine which grants made under this section will be 
     audited under that plan.
       ``(3) Reports.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, and once every 30 days 
     thereafter until the date that is 180 days after the date on 
     which all amounts made available to carry out this section 
     have been fully expended, and upon request thereafter, the 
     Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Small Business 
     and Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 
     Business of the House of Representatives a report on the 
     oversight and audit activities of the Administrator under 
     this subsection, which shall include--
       ``(A) the total number of grants approved and disbursed 
     under this section;
       ``(B) the total amount of each grant received by each 
     eligible entity;
       ``(C) the number of active investigations and audits of 
     grants made under this section;
       ``(D) the number of completed reviews and audits of grants 
     made under this section, including a description of--
       ``(i) any findings of fraud or other material noncompliance 
     with the requirements of this section; and
       ``(ii) the total amount recouped from ineligible 
     recipients; and
       ``(E) a description of any substantial changes made to the 
     plan required under paragraph (1).
       ``(4) Retroactive application.--This subsection shall apply 
     to grants and decisions made under this section before, on, 
     or after the date of enactment of this subsection.''.

     SEC. 3. HARD HIT INDUSTRIES AWARD PROGRAM.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
       (2) Affiliated business.--The term ``affiliated business'' 
     means a business in which an eligible entity--
       (A) has an equity or right to receive not less than 50 
     percent of the profit distributions of such business; or
       (B) has, on or before March 13, 2020, contractual authority 
     to control the business.
       (3) Award.--The term ``award'' means a financial assistance 
     payment that an eligible applicant receives directly from the 
     Small Business Administration.
       (4) Covered period.--The term ``covered period'' means the 
     period beginning on February 15, 2020, and ending on the 
     later of--
       (A) March 31, 2023; or
       (B) a date to be determined by the Administrator that is 
     not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
     section.
       (5) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity''--
       (A) means a small business concern that--
       (i) employs not more than 200 employees; and
       (ii) suffered a pandemic-related revenue loss of 40 percent 
     or greater; and
       (B) does not include a small business concern that--
       (i) is a State or local government-operated business;
       (ii) has received a grant under--

       (I) section 324 of the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small 
     Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (15 U.S.C. 9009a); or
       (II) section 5003 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
     (Public Law 117-2);

       (iii) is a publicly-traded company;
       (iv) is an entity that is owned or operated by a private 
     equity fund; or
       (v) has a wage violation at the time of application.
       (6) Eligible self-employed individual.--The term ``eligible 
     self-employed individual'' has the meaning given in section 
     7002(b) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (26 
     U.S.C. 1401 note).
       (7) Exchange; issuer; security.--The terms ``exchange'', 
     ``issuer'', and ``security'' have the meanings given those 
     terms, respectively, in section 3(a) of the Securities 
     Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)).
       (8) Pandemic-related revenue loss.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``pandemic-related revenue loss'' 
     means, subject to subparagraph (B) and with respect to an 
     eligible entity--
       (i) except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), the 
     average annual gross receipts during 2020 and 2021, as 
     established using such verification documentation as the 
     Administrator may require, of the eligible entity subtracted 
     from the gross receipts of the eligible entity in 2019, if 
     such sum is greater than zero;
       (ii) if the eligible entity was not in operation for the 
     entirety of 2019--

       (I) the difference between--

       (aa) the product obtained by multiplying the average 
     monthly gross receipts of the eligible entity in 2019 by 12; 
     and
       (bb) the product obtained by multiplying the average 
     monthly gross receipts of the eligible entity in 2020 and 
     2021 by 12; or

       (II) an amount based on a formula determined by the 
     Administrator; or

       (iii) if the eligible entity began operations during the 
     period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on the day 
     before the date of enactment of this section, an amount based 
     on a formula determined by the Administrator.
       (B) Reduction.--For purposes of this paragraph, the 
     pandemic-related revenue losses for an eligible entity 
     calculated under subparagraph (A) shall be reduced by the sum 
     of--
       (i) any amount received from a covered loan made under 
     paragraph (36) or (37) of section 7(a) of the Small Business 
     Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) in 2020 or 2021;
       (ii) any amount received as a grant under section 1110 of 
     the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (15 
     U.S.C. 9009); and
       (iii) any amount received as a grant under section 331 of 
     the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, 
     and Venues Act (15 U.S.C. 9009b).
       (C) Percentage determination.--For the purposes of 
     determining the percentage of pandemic-related revenue loss 
     under this subsection, the percentage shall be equal to--
       (i) in the case of an eligible entity for which 
     subparagraph (A)(i) applies, the product obtained by 
     multiplying--

       (I) the quotient obtained by dividing the pandemic-related 
     revenue losses for such eligible entity by the gross receipts 
     of the eligible entity in 2019; and
       (II) 100;

       (ii) in the case of an eligible entity for which 
     subparagraph (A)(ii)(I) applies, the product obtained by 
     multiplying--

       (I) the quotient obtained by dividing the pandemic-related 
     revenue losses for such eligible entity by the product 
     obtained by multiplying the average monthly gross receipts of 
     the eligible entity in 2019 by 12; and
       (II) 100; and

       (iii) in the case of an eligible entity for which clauses 
     (ii)(II) or (iii) applies, an amount based on a formula 
     determined by the Administrator.
       (9) Payroll costs.--The term ``payroll costs'' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 7(a)(36)(A) of the Small 
     Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)(36)(A)), except that such term 
     shall not include--
       (A) qualified wages, as defined in section 2301(c) of the 
     CARES Act (26 U.S.C. 3111 note), taken into account in 
     determining the credit allowed under such section 2301; or
       (B) premiums taken into account in determining the credit 
     allowed under section 6432 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
     1986.
       (10) Private equity fund.--The term ``private equity fund'' 
     has the meaning given the term in section 225.173(a) of title 
     12, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.
       (11) Publicly-traded company.--The term ``publicly-traded 
     company'' means an entity that is majority owned or 
     controlled by an entity that is an issuer, the securities of 
     which are listed on a national securities exchange under 
     section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 
     78f).
       (12) Small business concern.--The term ``small business 
     concern'' has the meaning given under section 3 of the Small 
     Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) and includes----

[[Page H4403]]

       (A) individuals who operate under a sole proprietorship, as 
     an independent contractor, or as an eligible self-employed 
     individual; and
       (B) small business concerns described in subparagraphs (B), 
     (C), and (D) of section 31(b)(2) of the Small Business Act 
     (15 U.S.C. 657a(b)(2)).
       (13) Small business act definitions.--The terms ``covered 
     mortgage obligation'', ``covered operations expenditure'', 
     ``covered rent obligation'', ``covered supplier cost'', 
     ``covered utility payment'', and ``covered worker protection 
     expenditure'' have the meanings given, respectively, in 
     section 7A of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636m).
       (b) Awards to Eligible Entities.--
       (1) In general.--From amounts made available under this 
     Act, the Administrator shall establish a program to be known 
     as the ``Hard Hit Industries Award Program'', under which the 
     Administrator shall make awards to eligible entities that 
     submit an application under paragraph (2).
       (2) Application.--
       (A) Certification.--An eligible entity shall submit to the 
     Administrator an application for an award under this 
     subsection. In such application, the eligible entity shall 
     make a good faith certification that--
       (i) the uncertainty of current economic conditions makes 
     necessary the award request to support the ongoing operations 
     of the eligible entity; and
       (ii) the eligible entity has no pending application for and 
     has not received a grant under--

       (I) section 324 of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small 
     Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (15 U.S.C. 9009a); or
       (II) section 5003 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
     (15 U.S.C. 9009c).

       (B) Verification.--The Administrator shall use tax records 
     or other reliable sources, such as certified accounting 
     statements, with respect to an applicant for an award under 
     this section to determine--
       (i) the eligibility of the applicant for that award; and
       (ii) the amount of that award to the applicant.
       (C) Acceptance of applications.--Not later than 120 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Administrator shall begin accepting applications for an award 
     under this subsection.
       (D) Priority.--
       (i) In general.--The Administrator shall prioritize 
     eligible entities that have experienced significant pandemic-
     related revenue loss to receive an award under this section 
     as follows:

       (I) First priority to eligible entities that experienced a 
     pandemic-related revenue loss of at least 80 percent.
       (II) Second priority to eligible entities that experienced 
     a pandemic-related revenue loss of at least 60 percent.

       (ii) Smaller entities.--Within each category of eligible 
     entities described in subclauses (I) through (III) of clause 
     (i), the Administrator may prioritize awards to eligible 
     entities with 50 employees or fewer.
       (iii) Additional priority.--Within each category of 
     eligible entities described in subclauses (I) through (III) 
     of clause (i), the Administrator may prioritize awards to 
     eligible entities that did not receive a covered loan made 
     under paragraph (36) or (37) of section 7(a) of the Small 
     Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) in 2020 or 2021.
       (3) Award amount.--
       (A) Aggregate maximum amount.--The aggregate maximum amount 
     of awards made to an eligible entity and any affiliated 
     businesses of the eligible entity under this subsection may 
     not exceed $1,000,000.
       (B) Determination of award amount.--
       (i) In general.--Except as provided in this paragraph, the 
     amount of an award made to an eligible entity under this 
     subsection shall be equal to the pandemic-related revenue 
     loss of the eligible entity.
       (ii) Return to treasury.--Any amount of an award made under 
     this subsection to an eligible entity described in clause 
     (ii) or (iii) of subsection (a)(8)(A) that is greater than 
     the average annual gross receipts of the eligible entity in 
     2020 and 2021 shall be returned to the Treasury.
       (C) Insufficient funding.--After selecting award recipients 
     in accordance with paragraph (2)(D) and before disbursing any 
     awards under this section, if the Administrator determines 
     that the amounts made available under this Act for making 
     awards under this section are insufficient to make awards to 
     each eligible entity that submits an application under 
     paragraph (2) in the amount described under subparagraphs (A) 
     and (B), the Administrator may make awards with the available 
     amounts such that the amount of the award that each eligible 
     entity would have otherwise received under those 
     subparagraphs and in accordance with paragraph (2)(D) is 
     reduced by a percentage, except that the Administrator may 
     establish an aggregate maximum amount for awards made under 
     this subparagraph and in accordance with paragraph (2)(D) to 
     ensure that smaller eligible entities receive awards in the 
     amounts provided under those subparagraphs.
       (4) Use of funds.--During the covered period, an eligible 
     entity that receives an award under this subsection may use 
     the award for the following expenses incurred as a direct 
     result of, or during, the COVID-19 pandemic:
       (A) Payroll costs.
       (B) Payments to independent contractors, as reported on 
     Form 1099-MISC, except that each such payment may not exceed 
     $100,000.
       (C) Scheduled payments of interest or principal on any 
     covered mortgage obligation (which may not include any 
     prepayment of principal on a covered mortgage obligation).
       (D) Payments on any covered rent obligation and common area 
     maintenance charges under a lease agreement.
       (E) Covered utility payments.
       (F) Maintenance expenses.
       (G) Covered worker protection expenditures.
       (H) Supplies, including protective equipment and cleaning 
     materials.
       (I) Expenses that were within the scope of the normal 
     business practice of the eligible entity before the covered 
     period.
       (J) Covered supplier costs.
       (K) Covered operational expenses.
       (L) Paid sick leave.
       (M) Capital expenditures (or expenses required under any 
     Federal, State, or local law) relating to implementing social 
     distancing measures.
       (N) Any other essential expenses of the eligible entity, as 
     determined by the Administrator.
       (5) Returning funds.--If an eligible entity that receives 
     an award under this section fails to use all of the award on 
     or before the last day of the covered period or permanently 
     ceases operations on or before the last day of the covered 
     period, the eligible entity shall return to the Administrator 
     any funds that the eligible entity did not use for the 
     allowable expenses under paragraph (4).
       (c) Data Transparency and Customer Service.--The 
     Administrator shall--
       (1) in carrying out this section, maintain regular 
     communication with applicants and representatives of such 
     applicants, including by--
       (A) hosting regularly scheduled information sessions with 
     those persons; and
       (B) providing opportunities to those persons to submit and 
     receive answers to questions regarding awards made under this 
     section;
       (2) on a weekly basis until the amounts made available 
     under this section are fully expended, publish data that 
     shows, for the period beginning on the date of enactment of 
     this Act and ending on the date on which the information is 
     published--
       (A) with respect to applications for awards under this 
     section, the number of those applications--
       (i) that the Administrator has received;
       (ii) that the Administrator has reviewed or is in the 
     process of reviewing; and
       (iii) with respect to which the Administrator has made a 
     decision; and
       (B) the number and dollar amount of payments awarded and 
     disbursed under this section;
       (3) on a weekly basis until the amounts made available to 
     carry out this section are fully expended, publish, for the 
     period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and 
     ending on the date on which the information is published--
       (A) the name and location of each eligible entity to which 
     an award has been made under this section; and
       (B) the amount of such award;
       (4) with respect to an applicant that applies for an award 
     under this section and is denied by the Administrator--
       (A) make available to the applicant a brief explanation 
     regarding the denial which shall include, where applicable, a 
     citation to the statute, regulation, or guidance with which 
     the applicant failed to comply and that was the basis for the 
     denial; and
       (B) establish a reconsideration process through which the 
     applicant may--
       (i) submit to the Administrator additional information the 
     applicant determines to be relevant to whether the applicant 
     is eligible for the grant; and
       (ii) receive a review of the application and such 
     additional information submitted under clause (i).
       (d) Tax Treatment of Awards.--
       (1) In general.--For the purposes of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986--
       (A) no award made under this section shall be included in 
     the gross income of the eligible entity that receives an 
     award;
       (B) no deduction shall be denied, no tax attribute shall be 
     reduced, and no basis increase shall be denied, by reason of 
     the exclusion from gross income provided by subparagraph (A); 
     and
       (C) in the case of a partnership or S corporation that 
     receives an award under this section--
       (i) any amount excluded from income by reason of 
     subparagraph (A) shall be treated as tax exempt for purposes 
     of sections 705 and 1366 of such Code; and
       (ii) the Secretary of the Treasury (or the Secretary's 
     delegate) shall prescribe rules for determining a partner's 
     distributive share of any amount described in clause (i) for 
     purposes of section 705 of such Code.
       (2) Applicability.--Paragraph (1) shall apply to taxable 
     years ending after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (e) System for Award Management.--The Administrator may not 
     require any eligible entity that applies for an award under 
     this section to use the System for Award Management (or any 
     successor system) with respect to that award.
       (f) Application Processing.--The Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget may, on an emergency basis and in order 
     to expedite the processing and approval of applications for 
     awards under this section, waive the requirements of part 200 
     of title 2,

[[Page H4404]]

     Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations) 
     with respect to an award made under this section, if--
       (1) the Director finds that such a waiver will prevent 
     eligible entities from failing or suffering undue hardship; 
     and
       (2) each eligible entity that receives an award under this 
     section is still required to submit to the Administrator 
     ongoing reports regarding the use by the eligible entity of 
     the award amounts.
       (g) Oversight and Audits.--
       (1) In general.--In cooperation with the Director of the 
     Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator shall 
     establish an oversight and audit plan with respect to 
     eligible entities receiving awards under this section, which 
     shall include--
       (A) documentation requirements that are consistent with the 
     eligibility and other requirements under this section, 
     including a requirement that an eligible entity that receives 
     an award under this section retains records that demonstrate 
     compliance with the requirements of this section; and
       (B) reviews of the use, by eligible entities, of awards 
     made under this section to ensure compliance with the 
     requirements of this section, which shall include--
       (i) a review and audit by the Administrator of awards made 
     under this section; and
       (ii) in the case of fraud or other material noncompliance 
     with respect to an award made under this section--

       (I) a requirement that the applicable eligible entity repay 
     to the Administrator the amount of the misspent funds; or
       (II) legal action by the Administrator to collect the 
     misspent funds.

       (2) Submission of plan.--Not later than 30 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
     submit to the Committee on Small Business and 
     Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 
     Business of the House of Representatives the plan required 
     under paragraph (1), which shall describe--
       (A) the policies and procedures of the Administrator for 
     conducting oversight and audits of awards made under this 
     section; and
       (B) the metrics that the Administrator will use to 
     determine which awards made under this section will be 
     audited under that plan.
       (3) Reports.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, once every 30 days thereafter until 
     the date that is 180 days after the date on which all amounts 
     made available to carry out this section have been fully 
     expended, and upon request thereafter, the Administrator 
     shall submit to the Committee on Small Business and 
     Entrepreneurship of the Senate and the Committee on Small 
     Business of the House of Representatives a report on the 
     oversight and audit activities of the Administrator under 
     this subsection, which shall include--
       (A) the total number of awards approved and disbursed under 
     this section;
       (B) the total amount of each award received by each 
     eligible entity;
       (C) the number of active investigations and audits of 
     awards made under this section;
       (D) the number of completed reviews and audits of awards 
     made under this section, including a description of any 
     findings of fraud or other material noncompliance with the 
     requirements of this section; and
       (E) a description of any substantial changes made to the 
     plan required under paragraph (1).
       (h) Rules.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue rules to 
     carry out this section, without regard to the notice 
     requirements under section 553(b) of title 5, United States 
     Code.
       (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to 
     amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated for fiscal 
     year 2022, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
     appropriated, $13,000,000,000, for the Hard Hit Industries 
     Award Program established under this section, to remain 
     available until expended, of which not more than $380,000,000 
     shall be for administrative expenses to carry out this 
     section, of which--
       (1) $2,500,000 shall be for the Inspector General of the 
     Small Business Administration to prevent waste, fraud, and 
     abuse with respect to funding made available for the Hard Hit 
     Industries Award Program;
       (2) $2,500,000 shall be for the Department of Justice for 
     investigative and prosecutorial activities related to fraud 
     and abuse, with respect to funding made available for the 
     Hard Hit Industries Award Program; and
       (3) $2,500,000 shall be for shall be for the Pandemic 
     Response Accountability Committee with respect to funding 
     made available for the Hard Hit Industries Award Program.

     SEC. 4. FUNDING FOR THE RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND AND 
                   THE HARD HIT INDUSTRIES AWARD PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Any unobligated covered funds are hereby 
     transferred to the Administrator of the Small Business 
     Administration for purposes of carrying out section 5003 of 
     the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9009c) and 
     the Hard Hit Industries Award Program established under 
     section 3 of this Act.
       (b) Covered Funds Defined.--In this section, the term 
     ``covered funds''--
       (1) means any and all funds recovered, seized, reclaimed, 
     or otherwise returned to the Federal Government received 
     pursuant to--
       (A) paragraph (36) or (37) of section 7(a) of the Small 
     Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a));
       (B) section 7(b)(2) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     636(b)), with respect to a loan made under such section in 
     response to COVID-19 during the covered period (as defined in 
     section 1110(a) of the CARES Act (15 U.S.C. 9009(a)));
       (C) section 1110(e) of the CARES Act (15 U.S.C. 9009(e));
       (D) section 331 of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small 
     Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (15 U.S.C. 9009b);
       (E) section 324 of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small 
     Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (15 U.S.C. 9009a);
       (F) section 5003 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
     (15 U.S.C. 9009c);
       (G) section 3 of this Act;
       (2) includes any funds that as of December 31, 2022, are 
     unexpended under section 5003 of the American Rescue Plan Act 
     of 2021 (15 U.S.C. 9009c); and
       (3) does not include funds paid by person to the Federal 
     Government for the purposes of tax obligations, servicing of 
     loans, or standard payment of fees.

     SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATORS.

       Section 324(d) of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small 
     Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (15 U.S.C. 9009a(d)) 
     is amended by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) Timing.--
       ``(A) Expenses incurred.--Amounts received under a grant 
     under this section may be used for costs incurred during the 
     period beginning on March 1, 2020, and ending on March 11, 
     2023 (or a later date, as determined by the Administrator).
       ``(B) Expenditure.--An eligible person or entity shall 
     return to the Administrator any amounts received under a 
     grant under this section that are not expended on or before 
     April 15, 2023 (or a later date, as determined by the 
     Administrator), with respect to costs incurred during the 
     period described in subparagraph (A).''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 
1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Small Business or their respective 
designees.
  The gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) and the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3807.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3807, the Relief for 
Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022.
  This bill will provide $42 billion to replenish the Restaurant 
Revitalization Fund and allocate $13 billion to launch a new industry-
neutral relief program for the small businesses most impacted by the 
pandemic.
  Last year, Congress created the RRF under the American Rescue Plan to 
provide targeted relief to struggling small restaurants. The program 
delivered emergency aid to over 100,000 employers in communities across 
the country. This grant was a critical lifeline and allowed businesses 
to keep their lights on and continue to pay their employees.
  Despite the program's success, approximately 177,000 small businesses 
are still awaiting relief. While these companies are dispersed 
throughout the country, they are united by a common message: Small 
firms are still hurting, and they are counting on Congress for more 
support.
  That is why we must act to replenish the RRF and deliver long-awaited 
aid to hundreds of thousands of restaurants across the country.
  H.R. 3807 also takes the crucial step of creating a new $13 billion 
hard-hit industries award program, which will extend aid to businesses 
with the greatest revenue losses that were ineligible or unable to 
access relief through other means. Rather than picking winners and 
losers, this industry-neutral program makes hard-hit companies the 
priority.
  These programs are offset by utilizing recovered money from fraud 
cases in the pandemic relief programs. Congress will take the money 
that was fraudulently obtained and put it in the hands of small 
businesses that need it the most.
  The SBA OIG, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, and

[[Page H4405]]

the Department of Justice are all working aggressively to investigate 
and prosecute instances of fraud and abuse, and this bill provides them 
with much-needed support. By allocating $30 million to oversight 
funding, today's legislation ensures these offices have the resources 
needed to pursue bad actors and reclaim money Congress intended to help 
small businesses.
  Small employers and entrepreneurs are the backbone of our communities 
and economies, and they cannot be ignored. Without today's legislation, 
our local communities risk losing these critical job creators. We 
simply cannot ignore them in their time of need.
  Members on both sides of the aisle have come together numerous times 
throughout the pandemic to pass legislation to support small firms. 
Today gives us the opportunity to do that once more.
  I urge my colleagues to meet this moment and pass this bill so that 
these businesses can stop treading water and start looking to the 
future.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3807, as amended. Here we 
are today to discuss yet another spending bill that will add to our 
Nation's debt and deficit and continue to spike inflation; another bill 
that creates a new government program without regard to the 
effectiveness or management of existing programs; another bill that has 
been rushed to the floor without a committee markup or a CBO score.
  In fact, the latest draft of this legislation was sent out last 
Friday night and has been amended since. This is not how we should 
legislate, Mr. Speaker. We must do a better job for our Nation's small 
businesses that create two out of every three new jobs in America.
  I am sure I am not the only one who has experienced deja vu by my 
colleagues' agenda to spend now and think later.
  This agenda is not working for Main Street America. The Small 
Business and Entrepreneurship Council conducted a recent poll of small 
business owners and found that only 5 percent of small business owners 
report that ``Congress' policies are helping the economy and small 
businesses like mine.'' Just 5 percent, so that means 95 percent, Mr. 
Speaker, don't like what is going on.
  While we are sitting here in Washington, D.C., deciding whether to 
spend more money for certain industries, Main Street is experiencing 
price shocks that have not been felt in over 40 years.
  Inflation is burning through our Nation at a rapid pace. From food 
and shelter to gas and energy, prices in every category of life are 
increasing exponentially with no end in sight.
  The Consumer Price Index stands at 7.9 percent annually, and the 
producer price index, which is the wholesale price index, is now at 10 
percent. That makes short-term inflation look pretty bleak from the 
standpoint that if the wholesale price index is 10 and the CPI 7.9, we 
are going to have some more inflation, some high prices. There is no 
doubt about it.
  American families are feeling the pain, Mr. Speaker. Businesses feel 
this pain. The Nation's smallest firms are suffering. In fact, small 
business owners are reporting that their number one problem is 
inflation.
  The second most pressing issue for small business is the price of 
gas. These price shocks hit them every single day.
  Today, we are considering injecting more money into the system, which 
will simply fuel the fire of inflation.
  There is no doubt that small businesses suffered from the COVID-19 
pandemic and the lockdowns that shut down Main Street. It has been just 
over 2 years since the CARES Act was signed into law. Since that time, 
we have spent approximately $6 trillion as a Nation to fight COVID-19.
  Small businesses alone have received $1.2 trillion in forgivable 
loans and other grants. I am proud of the bipartisan relief that 
Congress provided small businesses throughout this pandemic, including 
the Paycheck Protection Program, which supported many small businesses, 
including restaurants, in keeping their businesses afloat and employees 
on the payroll.
  The goal then was to quickly get dollars out the door to support our 
Nation's job creators during this time of crisis. But now, our Nation 
as a whole has learned much more about this pandemic. We have learned 
how to safely go about our lives.
  This bill is a disingenuous attempt to posture to small businesses by 
my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. If Democrats were serious 
about helping restaurants and small businesses, they would have called 
for an end to the ever-changing mandates and lockdowns that forced so 
many businesses to close their doors. They would have accepted my 
amendment during committee to adequately fund this program from the 
start. They would have considered my bill when it was introduced in 
July, the ENTREE Act, which responsibly refills the Restaurant 
Revitalization Program and is fully paid for, which this bill we are 
here for today is not.
  When the government attempts to solve problems without the input of 
small businesses, they create more problems, Mr. Speaker.
  Have my Democrat counterparts on the other side ever asked a small 
business owner if they are now capable of opening and operating safely?
  Have they ever asked them whether they can now unlock their doors, 
turn on their lights, and protect their workers?
  Have they ever asked them if they are able to now welcome customers 
and community members back into their storefronts carefully?
  I have, and the answer from small businesses is a resounding yes.
  Small businesses are some of the most innovative and nimble 
enterprises in America. They can pivot quickly, and most importantly, 
they can adapt to any situation with speed.
  They are the entrepreneurs of our country that drive our country. 
They can figure out how to slice the bread thinner. They know how to do 
this. We saw this over the last 2 years.
  At this time, small businesses need the freedom to operate 
independently without Washington watching over them. We must end the 
COVID economy of government handouts.
  Furthermore, this bill creates another new grant program at the SBA. 
The SBA, in my judgment, is incapable of operating grant programs.
  Let's briefly examine how they have performed over the last 2 years, 
Mr. Speaker. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, known as EIDL, 
is filled with fraud and identity theft issues. This is per the IG, the 
inspector general, in his report.
  The SBA is a black hole when it comes to answering questions for 
constituent businesses. We have all had businesses in our district 
struggle with getting information for the grant application.
  Frankly, this direct lending and direct grant program in the SBA has 
been a disaster with a 30 percent fraud rate. That is the IG report 
number. Yet, the SBA continues to defer EIDL payments.
  The second program was the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. 
The SVOG was signed into law in December 2020. Disappointingly, and 
after long delays, the SBA attempted to launch this program in April, 4 
months later.
  My colleagues and I sent multiple letters to the SBA regarding this 
delay. The night before it went live, SBA's inspector general sent out 
a warning signal. He said: SBA, you are not ready to do this. You are 
not up and running yet.
  But did they listen? Of course not. They went ahead anyway, and 
within hours, the whole program crashed. The program then took 2 more 
months to launch.
  This is unacceptable, Mr. Speaker. We have to do a better job than 
this. They have to do a better job than this.
  The last program was the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. I would like 
to remind everyone that this program was woefully underfunded by my 
Democrat colleagues.
  However, more shocking was the fact that congressional Democrats, the 
Biden administration, and the SBA prioritized certain businesses over 
others. The RRF program was fundamentally unfair. They picked winners 
and losers with American taxpayer dollars.

[[Page H4406]]

  


                              {time}  0930

  It was so bad, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals declared this 
program unconstitutional, Mr. Speaker. They declared the whole program 
unconstitutional.
  The Court's majority opinion stated that the SBA injected explicit 
racial and ethnic preferences into the priorities.
  Enough is enough. If you judge the future by the past, as my dad once 
said, it is clear the SBA is unable to properly and prudently manage 
grant programs and safeguard American taxpayer dollars.
  Not only does the SBA have a disastrous past of administering grant 
programs, but any new dollars flowing will add fuel to the inflation 
fire.
  I want to be clear; this bill is supposedly paid for by recovered 
funds. At best, this is an IOU, Mr. Speaker. It is not a real or 
immediate offset. I agree that we need to track down and hold 
fraudsters accountable, and I applaud that process. I support it 
entirely. But this process takes time, and it is not going to get all 
those dollars back.
  For example, according to testimony provided by SBA's inspector 
general at a hearing in January, the total recoveries by his office in 
fiscal year 2021 was $4.2 billion. In the same testimony, and in 
collaboration with Secret Service, the inspector general reports that 
they have seized another $1 billion in the EIDL program. And lastly, 
and, again, according to the IG, financial institutions returned 
approximately $3.1 billion in fraudulent funding. That is not near 
enough to cover the $55 billion that this program wants to spend.
  Now more than ever, small businesses need to escape the overbearing 
reach of the Federal Government.
  If we want to help small businesses, then we need to stop this out-
of-control spending. We should prioritize lowering taxes so small 
business owners and their workers can keep more of their hard-earned 
money. We must reduce regulations that bog small businesses down with 
paperwork and compliance costs.
  I would argue that the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the reason we 
have the good economy we have today because we continue to allow the 
business individuals to keep their hard-earned dollars and invest them 
as they see fit, whereas, if we tax them to death, those dollars come 
out of the system, and we limit their ability to drive our economy.
  We simply need to move on from this COVID economy.
  In my judgment, this is an irresponsible bill. I urge my colleagues 
to oppose it. This is about economic independence.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished House majority leader.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  And I would respond, this bill is about economic resilience. You 
can't be independent if you go bankrupt. You can't be independent if 
you can't operate your business. I have gone into restaurant after 
restaurant in my district, and the owners of those restaurants have had 
thanks for me, for the Congress, and, yes, for the administration, 
including Donald Trump, who signed many of these bills, that at a time 
of extraordinary stress--through no fault of their own, but a pandemic 
that attacked all of us--they were able to keep their heads above 
water, pay their employees, even if they couldn't be open, transfer to 
carry out, and do so many things that they were able to do to remain 
viable, which is, by the way, why almost every State has a surplus.
  Why? Because revenues did not fall as they were projected to fall. 
That is true in my State. I think it is true in almost every State.
  Why didn't revenues fall? Because we kept people above water.
  Now, in this particular program that passed--in many respects with 
bipartisan support in 2020, December of 2020, as well--there were some 
250,000-plus who were eligible under the rules that we drafted and 
passed but only about 100,000 of them got relief, which means that we 
left behind 150,000 people who were eligible under the rules that we 
set.
  And now some would say to those that were left behind, You are on 
your own. That is not what we are going to do today. We are not going 
to tell them you are on your own. We are going to tell them we 
understand how important you are to the life of our country, to the 
economy of our country, to the people of our country.
  When we enacted the American Rescue Plan--which I want to make clear 
did not get any Republican votes--we set aside $28.6 billion in 
emergency grants to help restaurants and bars that have experienced 
significant revenue losses due to COVID-19 restrictions.
  Those restrictions were necessary, which is why, hopefully, we are 
coming out of not only the initial assault but the variants' assault.
  The aim was to help them stay open to keep their employees on the 
payroll. I suggest if we had not done that, it wouldn't be independence 
that they would have experienced, they would have experienced recession 
and perhaps depression.
  That funding quickly ran out, however, with only a third of 
restaurants that applied for assistance ultimately receiving it.
  The legislation before us today would replenish the Small Business 
Administration's Restaurant Revitalization Fund with an additional $42 
billion so that the more than 150,000 restaurants still waiting in the 
cue can finally get the help they need.
  Those applicants have been waiting since funding ran out last year. 
And according to the Independent Restaurant Coalition, Mr. Speaker, 86 
percent of owners indicated that they may close down if they aren't 
able to access these grants.
  More than 90,000 restaurants and bars already have shut down in this 
pandemic. Think about the impact of that on neighborhoods, communities, 
and local economies.
  Congress should act and act quickly.
  I share the view of the gentleman who spoke before me that we need to 
make sure that we eliminate fraud, we eliminate abuse, and that we claw 
back money that was received through fraud. All that does is hurt those 
who really need it. And what this legislation says is we are going to 
get back that money that was fraudulently received by individuals and 
give it to people who legitimately need it and qualify, such as 
restaurants, gyms, health clubs, salons, music venues, and other places 
where people hope to congregate but couldn't because of necessary 
pandemic restrictions.

  They will get a lifeline as we all hope to get ``back to normal.'' We 
all want to be back to normal. But we want to be back to normal with 
businesses that are still alive, still able to serve the public.
  Importantly, that lifeline to keep legitimate small businesses afloat 
is paid for, as I said, by recapturing funds that were earlier 
disbursed to fraudulent applicants.
  We are going after bad actors and rewarding good actors.
  While this is an issue important to so many members of our caucus, I 
thank Representative Blumenauer for sponsoring this legislation, as 
well as Representative Phillips for his championing this cause over the 
past several months.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and the 
small businesses that it will help and the millions of employees that 
it will help.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the majority leader's 
remarks. I also support trying to help restaurants. That is the reason 
we are here this morning.
  But I do have a bill that is paid for that this one does not do. And 
I think that the preferences that were allowed that were shown to be 
unconstitutional is the reason we are here this morning, so we can find 
a way to fund the rest of those folks, which I think is important for 
our communities. And I agree, and I appreciate those remarks by the 
leader.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), the vice ranking member of the 
Committee on Small Business and a small business champion in his own 
right.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it has been more than 2 years 
since COVID-19 shut down the world and forced businesses to close for 
months. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Congress has spent--we 
have already talked about it--$6.6 trillion to help

[[Page H4407]]

American businesses get back on track to financial recovery after 
enduring months of forced government closures.
  At that time, aid was critical for businesses to survive the 
pandemic, but we must now let the free market work and stop frivolously 
spending billions more in the name of COVID-19.
  This attempt by Democrats to spend billions of taxpayer dollars is 
irresponsible and will only add fuel to the growing inflation crisis 
that we have. Americans are currently experiencing tough times right 
now trying to find out how to beat, frankly, the Federal Government.
  Inflation and energy prices are the primary concerns for small 
businesses. And I am a small business owner for 51 years; I still 
employ hundreds of people. So those are the concerns they have. And 
more Federal spending is only going to strain businesses further.
  It is simple: to lower costs for hardworking families and 
businessowners, we need to cut spending. We need to cut it, not spend 
more money that we don't have. When you spend money you print and you 
spend money you don't have, it is called inflation.
  We should be focusing on getting control of the crisis at the 
southern border, lowering gas prices, managing supply chain 
disruptions--I am in the car business, so I can talk about that--that 
are leaving shelves empty and incentivizing people to get back to work, 
not not work.
  In order to get back to the thriving economy we had prepandemic under 
the Trump administration, Democrats must end this emergency COVID 
spending charade. Hey, it is over. We are done with it. Let's move on.
  And I always get a kick out of people that say they want to protect 
Main Street. Well, it is funny because a lot of those people wanting to 
protect Main Street are bureaucrats that never signed the front of a 
check. They never met a payroll. They have been up here all their 
lives. But they want to help Main Street. And the fact of the matter is 
we need to cut taxes. We need to cut regulations.
  So if it is so important to help Main Street, why do Democrats and 
liberals want to raise taxes all the time? That doesn't help Main 
Street. I want to help Main Street, but I want to raise taxes. That is 
the wrong way to go about it.
  So the bottom line is this: We have a better bill. I urge all of my 
colleagues to oppose H.R. 3807 and reject Democrats' false claims that 
this bill is fully paid for. It is fully paid for on the backs of Main 
Street America. In God we trust.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), the long-time champion of the Restaurant 
Revitalization Fund.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman's courtesy, 
as I appreciate her tireless leadership on this issue. Her committee 
has performed admirably. I am excited about the wide range of areas 
that you have enacted to be able to help the recovery that we have seen 
around the country, one of the reasons that we have had the largest 
increase in employment this last year in American history. I think what 
we have today is another chapter in that story.
  Over 2 years ago, I received countless late-night texts and phone 
calls from the independent restaurants in my community. Portland, 
Oregon is known for its restaurant scene. We set to work listening to 
them to come up with an approach that would meet their needs. The so-
called Paycheck Protection Program was not adequate. They didn't even 
know if they were going to be in business, let alone paying back a 
loan.
  We developed this grant program after consulting with independent 
restaurants all across the country. The neighborhood bars and 
restaurants were the hardest hit since the beginning of the pandemic. 
They were the first to shut down in March of 2020, and they accounted 
for a quarter of the job losses; 5\1/2\ million workers in April 2020 
alone. And they have been the slowest to reopen.
  Yes, they can pivot and adapt, but frankly, the unemployment in the 
industry remains stubbornly slow to recover. Approximately 90,000 
restaurants have already closed permanently since the start of the 
pandemic, and there are a number of others that are just hanging on by 
their fingertips, encouraged, in part, by the hope of the Restaurant 
Revitalization Fund being replenished.

                              {time}  0945

  Restaurants are the cornerstone of a livable community. They have 
employed nearly 60 percent of Americans at some point in their career, 
myself included, and I know a number of people in this Chamber identify 
with that.
  They are a major source of employment for people of color. And they 
support a trillion-dollar supply chain all across America.
  The Federal Government has provided some help to them through the 
Restaurant Revitalization Fund, based on my RESTAURANTS Act that I 
first introduced in June of 2020.
  But the program fell short. It did not have enough money to meet all 
the applicants. There were 100,000 grants that were life-changing for a 
number of them, but 177,000 hanging in the balance.
  The Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act 
finishes the job and completes the promise.
  This legislation is simple: It funds restaurants that did not receive 
awards that they were otherwise entitled to; it helps other battered 
industries, like live events, travel, hospitality, and fitness; and 
supports shuttered venues. And it will be paid for with the fraudulent 
pandemic relief funds yet to be recovered.
  Now, while the COVID case numbers are low and the American public is 
ready to move beyond the pandemic, our small, independent restaurants 
and other businesses have not fully recovered. This is why the 
legislation is critical.
  It is a response to very real challenges, thinking about what they 
faced in terms of that brittle supply chain; what they faced in terms 
of changing regulations; the public being deeply concerned in terms of 
health. It is time for us to finish the job that we started.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 
seconds.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. It is time to finish the job that we started. We 
don't want any ruthless, free-market ideology getting in the way of 
these hardworking, innovative people who have put their lives and 
careers on the line investing everything, hoping that they could have 
the promise of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund fulfilled. This 
legislation does that, and I strongly urge its adoption.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what ruthless, idiotic 
ideology the gentleman was just talking about, but I think capitalism 
is a pretty good ideology with which to generate the kind of activity 
it takes to make an economy go. I think we saw the Tax Cuts and Jobs 
Act of 2017 has done that job.
  Whenever they talk about the largest increase in employment history, 
it is pretty easy to have a low bar when you start talking about where 
we were in the pandemic. The bar you should be talking about is where 
we were prior to the pandemic, and we are still below that number.
  Mr. Speaker, it is exciting for me this morning to be able to yield 
such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Meuser), who is the ranking member of the Small Business Subcommittee 
on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access.
  Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Luetkemeyer for the 
great work that he does for small businesses.
  Mr. Speaker, when I speak to small businesses throughout my district, 
they tell me that they are fraught by skyrocketing inflation, rising 
energy costs, workforce shortages, burdensome regulations, just regular 
hassles coming from the type of regulations that have been imposed and 
the type of tax burdens and such.
  The Biden administration continues, however, to push a policy agenda 
that is absolutely detrimental to small business--there is no question 
about it--creating additional headwinds such as inflation. Let's talk 
about inflation.
  The excessive and unnecessary spending enacted by Democrats in the 
last 14 months, exceeding $2 trillion, well over $2 trillion just in 
the rescue plan, almost $9 trillion over the course of the last couple 
of years, has obviously contributed to the record levels of inflation; 
up nearly 8 percent since last

[[Page H4408]]

year, just last year alone, the highest level since 1981.
  We look back on that as the most historic inflation ever. Well, it is 
happening now, and yet, we are talking about exacerbating it with 
higher levels of spending.
  Let's talk about energy prices. The Biden administration's blatant 
and deliberate detrimental policies on domestic energy production has 
caused prices at the pump to nearly double since last year, making it 
clearly more difficult for small businesses to get their goods to 
market; making it more difficult for customers to get to the small 
businesses.
  We must support our domestic energy production and make energy 
affordable again. It is almost that simple.
  Let's talk about the workforce shortages. Disincentives to work, 
extended by the American Rescue Plan, have made it very difficult for 
small businesses to recruit and retain workers. We should all know 
that. Go visit any small business and they will tell you just that.
  Sure, it is starting to come back, as it would once those incentives 
not to work were minimized or eliminated. That is what we need to do, 
create incentives to work, not discourage work.
  Let's talk about tax increases. The persistent threat of increased 
taxes from Democrats in Congress and the Biden administration send 
shivers down the spine of small businesses, creates enormous 
uncertainty, while it makes it difficult for them to plan and invest in 
their businesses.
  Let's talk about regulations. Since taking office 14 months ago, the 
Biden administration has instituted hundreds of new regulations costing 
over $200 billion in real terms, and burdening businesses with what has 
been estimated as 130 million hours of additional paperwork.
  Instead of saddling our small businesses with burdensome and costly 
regulations, we should be trying to actually create an environment that 
breeds growth and success and allows owners to invest in their business 
and employees.
  The solution to the difficulties that America's small businesses are 
facing is not to pump $55 billion of new, unpaid spending into the 
economy. This will exacerbate much of what I just went through.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no reason just to criticize legislation without 
a solution. We have a solution, the ENTREE Act, introduced by Ranking 
Member Luetkemeyer, is fully paid for and delivers $60 billion in aid 
to America's restaurants who were excluded by the previous Democrats' 
unconstitutional and discriminatory RRF rollout which was proven 
illegal.
  Unlike the bill we are considering today, the ENTREE Act would 
replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund by repurposing unused 
American Rescue Plan dollars and would not further contribute to the 
hyperinflation that all American small businesses--and our deficit--
that all businesses are burdened by today and, again, the highest since 
nearly 50 years.
  So, the real solution is a smart, responsible approach that provides 
targeted relief without exacerbating the many crises small business 
owners are facing today.
  Every idea, Mr. Speaker, in this Congress cannot be solved by 
spending billions of dollars more of taxpayer money, as stated earlier, 
over $10 trillion in excess over the last 2 years. It has got to stop 
somewhere, sometime.
  We need to stop this out-of-control spending, reduce inflation, stop 
the assault on domestic energy production, lower energy costs, and 
create a business environment that is friendly to growth, not friendly 
to a tax, spend, and over-regulatory Big Government.
  The solution, again, is not difficult. But it must be definitely not 
adding another $55 billion of spending. American job creators need to 
be the most competitive in the world. We need to do what we can do to 
create an environment for that.
  The policies of the Biden administration and far too many Democrats 
in this House have made life more difficult for small businesses. This 
must change.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter), a member of the Small Business 
Committee.
  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent 
southeast Louisiana in Congress, a region that is rightfully famous for 
its community, its culture, and its incredible food.
  Around 9,000 restaurants in Louisiana applied for the Restaurant 
Revitalization Act in the American Rescue Plan. Less than 3,000 
received funding. It is clear, the need to replenish this legislation 
is great and must happen.
  Today, we will continue to fight for the help of small businesses and 
families during the pandemic as we pass the Restaurant Revitalization 
Fund Replenishment Act, providing an additional $60 million for the 
Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
  Louisiana thrives on tourism and hospitality, and the restaurant 
sector is critical in the State's economy. I am so grateful that this 
bill now includes provisions that I proposed in the bipartisan MUSIC 
Act, which would include members of the entertainment industry, like 
live event companies who have yet to have access to industry-specific 
economic relief funding.
  I am proud to vote ``yes'' today and stand with small businesses that 
strengthen and enrich our local economies.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is 
remaining on each side?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Missouri has 11 minutes 
remaining. The gentlewoman from New York has 20 minutes remaining.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds), one of our 
newest members on the committee.
  Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Missouri 
for giving me such latitude.
  $55 billion that we don't have, folks. 42 billion, goes into this 
new--the reauthorization of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Another 
$13 billion going to target business owners who have less than 200 
employees.
  I know that there are restaurant owners and small business owners in 
the United States who are looking for relief every single day. They are 
trying to find a way to make ends meet.
  How do I know this? Because in the beginning of my career, a lot of 
what I did was analyze the very business owners who are struggling in 
today's economy. And in today's economy, they are struggling for a 
myriad of reasons.
  Number one, our energy prices. When the price of oil shoots up so 
drastically, it impacts transportation; it impacts how they get the 
material that they sell in their stores every single day.
  Wage inflation, which is completely out of control in the United 
States. When wages go up, the costs of doing business goes up, no 
matter what any politician on Capitol Hill says.
  So throwing more money at this situation, especially money that has 
never been appropriated; money that is going to come out of thin air, 
is not going to make matters better for small business owners; it is 
going to make them worse.
  The ranking member on the Small Business Committee, the gentleman 
from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer), has a bill, the ENTREE Act, that 
reauthorizes funds that have already been appropriated to be used to 
help small business owners who were caught in this lurch; money that 
they could use. It is paid for.
  It will not put more dollars in circulation, which is one of the key 
issues we are having in our economy with respect to the inflation that 
is stifling small business. It is stifling working families. It 
is stifling seniors who are on fixed incomes.

  But it is more than just money coming from Capitol Hill. It is the 
economic policy coming from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
  When you have massive amounts of regulations that small business 
owners must comply with, two things occur: They spend more time devoted 
to compliance, or they go out of business. Or, I am sorry, there is a 
third; or they sell to a larger business.
  We want small business owners to thrive in the United States. We need 
them to thrive in the United States. But it is not just money, folks. 
It is the rules that we force them to comply with.
  And the last part--I started with energy; I am going to end with 
energy.

[[Page H4409]]

  When energy costs go up in the United States, when they go up 
recklessly and willfully because of terrible economic and energy policy 
from the President of the United States, the lifeblood of our economy, 
which is small business, are the ones who feel it the most. They are 
the ones who are affected. They are the ones who struggle with it. They 
are the ones that can't get the materials they need. They are the ones 
whose workers are struggling to figure out how to get to work because 
gas is now $4.20 a gallon versus $2.20 a gallon.
  We have to take a serious look about what we are doing from a 
complete economic perspective here on Capitol Hill.
  And it is not just about new money. New money sounds good. Everybody 
likes getting new money. But new money rarely is the thing that fixes 
the problem. What really fixes the problem are sound policies that 
address our entire business economy, so that everybody can thrive.
  What really makes sense is having a sound and sensible energy 
policy--where you have cheap and affordable, whether it is renewable, 
or whether it is fossil fuels--that people can rely on. That is the 
lifeblood of every economy.
  And if we could ever get that stuff right, we might have enough sense 
on Capitol Hill to actually handle our spending problems.

                              {time}  1000

  If we can't get basic economics right, it is no wonder that Capitol 
Hill always spends far more than it possibly takes in.
  We have a measure to actually help small business owners right now. 
It is called the ENTREE Act. Small business owners will get the help 
that they need. It will work. It will actually help us stop being 
reckless with money we don't have, which we, frankly, are borrowing 
from the revenues that small business owners have to pay in the future 
that they haven't even earned yet.
  Don't pass this bill. It is not necessary. It is only more of the 
same. It is more of the problem. It is more inflation. It is the 
destruction of more purchasing power of the American people.
  We must say ``no'' today. We need to reverse course in the United 
States.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Chu), a senior member of the Small Business Committee.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation to 
fulfill our commitment to the small businesses hardest hit by the 
pandemic, like the many in my Los Angeles-area district.
  The Restaurant Revitalization Fund and the Shuttered Venue Operators 
Grant program have been crucial interventions to protect the industries 
most reliant on in-person, indoor crowds. These were some of the first 
businesses to close and among the last to return to full capacity.
  That is why we must pass this legislation to fund $42 billion in 
pending restaurant applications, give live venues and theaters more 
time and flexibility to use their funds, and create a new program for 
the hardest hit small businesses that still need help to keep their 
doors open.
  This bill would be paid for by going after funds stolen by 
fraudsters, showing the American public that the U.S. will not tolerate 
those who use the pandemic to take advantage of small businesses in 
their most dire time of need.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume 
to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne), who is the ranking 
member on the Small Business Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, 
and Regulations. In that position, she has been leading the way in 
protecting small businesses.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit, and my 
amendment affirms this Chamber's commitment to being a proper steward 
of taxpayer dollars and ensuring the integrity of SBA's programs.
  Over 2 years ago, Congress enacted and activated numerous relief 
programs to rescue the American economy from the COVID-19 State and 
local shutdown orders that devastated small businesses across the 
country. Speed was of the essence, and Congress focused on getting 
dollars out quickly before parts of the economy collapsed.
  However, criminal behavior took hold as many illegal applicants 
entered programs and scammed others to take advantage of this relief. 
According to the SBA inspector general's estimates, over $80 billion of 
the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program payments and $4.6 billion of 
the Paycheck Protection Program are potentially fraudulent. These are 
American taxpayer dollars that are on the line, and they are being 
misused and stolen.
  We must do everything in Congress' power to stop this illegal 
behavior and ensure that the fraudsters are brought to justice. Our 
oversight capabilities must be reinforced and strengthened.
  As the ranking member of the Oversight, Investigations, and 
Regulations Subcommittee of the Committee on Small Business, I stand 
ready to ensure that these programs are adequately built to deter this 
fraudulent behavior.
  However, we must also ensure that law enforcement has the tools at 
their disposal and enough time to complete the job. We must lengthen 
the statute of limitations for the loans and grants made during this 
emergency period and give the SBA's inspector general, the Secret 
Service, and the Department of Justice the necessary time to launch 
investigations and complete their process.
  Five years is simply not enough, especially when the SBA continues to 
defer payments on EIDL loans. Therefore, my amendment moves the statute 
of limitations from 5 years to 10 years to capture, recover, and seize 
fraudulent dollars within these COVID-19 small business relief 
programs.
  Criminals moved quickly, and they did so at a time when those folks 
who needed it the most were unable to get these dollars. They took 
advantage of an unprecedented worldwide epidemic. In due time, our 
authorities will find them and recover the money that was meant to 
assist Main Street America during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  Our economy is driven by America's small businesses, entrepreneurs, 
and startups, and protecting those relief dollars dedicated to them 
should be a top priority for all Members of Congress.
  This amendment is a simple, commonsense, and necessary fix. I urge my 
colleagues to support it. It will give the time necessary for law 
enforcement to recover our American taxpayer dollars.
  Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of the 
amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to 
recommit.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Dean). Is there objection to the request 
of the gentlewoman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans), a member of the Small Business Committee.
  Mr. EVANS. Madam Speaker, I am proud to cosponsor this bill, which is 
led by my Ways and Means Committee colleague from Oregon.
  The Restaurant Revitalization Fund has been a lifeline for small 
businesses in Philadelphia and across the country. We provided $28 
billion to help more than 100,000 restaurants. Unfortunately, the need 
has been far greater than the initial funding.

  This bill would extend the lifeline with another $42 billion to help 
our neighborhood restaurants and the people they employ as the pandemic 
continues.
  Restaurants are part of our small business backbone that help to keep 
our communities together and our neighbors employed.
  Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have 
remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 3 minutes remaining.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is 
remaining on our side.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  April 7, 2022, on page H4409, in the third column, the following 
appeared: The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 3 minutes 
remaining. Mr. LUCAS. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time. Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is 
re . . .
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: The SPEAKER pro 
tempore. The gentleman has 3 minutes remaining. Mr. LUETKEMEYER. 
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. VELAZQUEZ. 
Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is re . . .


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman has 18 minutes remaining.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman 
from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the chairwoman of the House 
Appropriations Committee.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, restaurants and small businesses are the 
heart and soul of our communities, but

[[Page H4410]]

the pandemic has cost them over $280 billion in sales, and 
approximately 90,000 were forced to close.
  That is why we created the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, a historic 
investment to increase aid to restaurants and bars hit hardest by the 
pandemic. The funding has run out, and restaurants are still 
struggling.
  In Connecticut, the restaurants have been one of the hardest hit 
sectors by the pandemic. Due to high demand, I heard from far too many 
of my constituents who applied on the very first day the RRF funds were 
available and were still unable to receive them. We must do more to 
ensure that small businesses receive the funding they need to survive 
and continue to serve our communities.
  The bill before us does just that by providing $42 billion to 
replenish the fund and putting $13 billion toward other businesses 
impacted by the pandemic. This bill is the center of our efforts to 
help these small businesses survive and thrive.
  Madam Speaker, I look forward to voting in favor of this bill, and I 
urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Correa).
  Mr. CORREA. Madam Speaker, I also rise in strong support of this 
measure. This is about economic survival on Main Street. This is about 
helping our friends and neighbors that have plowed their lifesavings 
into a small business.
  Just a couple of days ago, I got a phone call from Mr. Antonio 
Cagnolo, who has had a restaurant in my neighborhood for dozens of 
years. He said: Lou, for 2 years, I have taken every penny that I have 
to stay in business. I am at the end of my rope. If I don't get help, I 
am out of business, and I am going to lay off dozens and dozens of 
workers. Lou, I don't want a handout; I want a hand. I have paid my 
taxpayer dollars for years and years, and now I want you, the Federal 
Government, to help me stay alive.
  I said: Mr. Cagnolo, we are going to be there for you. We will get 
you that support.
  Folks, today, I ask you to please support this measure. Please help 
our small businesses on Main Street stay alive.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).
  Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
3807, the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses 
Act.
  As you are hearing from my colleagues, the food service industry has 
been one of the hardest hit throughout this pandemic, with many 
restaurants temporarily closing their doors or dramatically limiting 
their capacity during the worst surges but still feeding their 
community. Far too many are never opening again.
  Right now, many more are looking to close their doors permanently if 
we don't give them help and live up to our commitment to support them 
through this unprecedented time. We have all heard stories from our 
districts of small businesses seeking assistance, many of which have 
been eligible but just can't get the funds.
  Like my colleagues, the Coney Island that I have gone to for 35 years 
is looking at closing. The waitress who worked there for 35 years was 
in total tears last week because she doesn't know what she is going to 
do. There are other restaurants throughout my district just needing 
help.
  This legislation provides critical funding that we need to grant to 
these restaurants in our communities. I strongly urge my colleagues to 
support this important bill.

  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Green).
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, and still I rise. And still I rise 
to be grateful to the Honorable Nydia Velazquez and Earl Blumenauer for 
what they have done to bring this bill to the floor.
  And still I rise for this job protections bill. This bill will not 
only protect jobs for restaurants; it also protects jobs in the $1 
trillion supply chain. It will protect jobs for those distributors to 
restaurants. It will protect the jobs for those who transport to the 
distributors. It protects jobs for the farmers who produce the produce 
that we have in the restaurants.
  There is a right time for all things. This is the right time. This is 
the right place. We are the right people to do the right thing and 
protect small businesses and, more importantly, protect the jobs that 
fuel America, the engines of opportunity.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Lee).
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I am glad to be able to speak 
on behalf of H.R. 3807, which will deliver more funding to restaurants 
and small businesses, which really deserve their Representatives to 
speak up, stand up, and work for them because they desperately need our 
help. We must deliver on their behalf.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairwoman Velazquez, and 
Congressman Blumenauer for their tremendous leadership in working so 
diligently in bringing this bill to the floor.
  H.R. 3807 continues Democrats' effort to help our small businesses 
and restaurants recover from the economic costs of COVID-19. These 
small businesses are the economic and cultural lifeblood of our 
communities, so we established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and 
other support programs, in the American Rescue Plan.
  The ARP delivered billions of dollars to help people in businesses 
make it through this crisis. Almost 600 restaurants and bars in my 
district alone received more than $212 million to keep their doors open 
and to support their employees and families.

                              {time}  1015

  However, we know that this crisis is still not over, and we must 
deliver more assistance. We must pass this bill today, and I strongly 
urge my colleagues to vote ``aye.''
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan).
  Mrs. TRAHAN. Madam Speaker, every Member of this Chamber has had the 
privilege of meeting with hardworking small business owners in their 
districts who overcame incredible challenges to stay open during the 
pandemic.
  The stories that stick with me the most are the ones from family-
owned establishments--community staples like Simply Khmer in Lowell and 
Terra Luna in Lawrence. These businesses accessed relief through the 
Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and it helped them keep their doors 
open and their employees on staff.
  But for every Simply Khmer and Terra Luna, there are three or four 
other restaurants who applied but didn't get the relief they needed 
because the fund ran out of money. And that has left many businesses 
hanging on by a thread pleading for help. Passing the Relief for 
Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act will answer those 
calls for aid.
  Madam Speaker, we owe these restaurants and small businesses this 
legislation. There is simply no reason anyone in Congress should oppose 
it.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join us in passing this bill.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Thompson).
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Madam Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has hammered every section of 
our economy. Small businesses have been hit the hardest; and among 
small businesses, restaurants have been crushed. An estimated 90,000 
restaurants have permanently closed.
  These are cornerstones of our communities and the linchpin of our 
economy. If more restaurants close, then more workers will be out of 
work, and transitioning to a new job will be a challenge for many of 
those workers. Now is not the time to abandon small businesses.

[[Page H4411]]

  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence).
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
3807.
  Last month I held a roundtable in my district of small businesses, 
and their message was loud and clear: the restaurant industry is in a 
crisis. Small businesses need us to understand and send relief.
  We know that this pandemic has disproportionately affected small 
businesses owned by women and people of color. Our small businesses are 
the backbone of our communities and local economy. If we are going to 
come back as a country, we must pass this much-needed legislation. Now 
is the time to take action.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I would inquire through the Chair if my colleague has any remaining 
speakers on his side.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. I reserve the balance of my time, Madam Speaker.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Madam Speaker, we discussed this bill thoroughly this morning, and I 
think everybody understands that we have a $42 billion section of it 
that is wanting to help restaurants. I thoroughly support trying to get 
restaurants back on their feet.
  In fact, it has been mentioned a number of times, we have an 
alternative bill called the ENTREE Act that actually fixed the 
constitutional problem that existed because the bill as originally 
structured, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, was incorrectly 
structured. It prioritized groups over something else and was quite 
unconstitutional.
  It was underfunded. I told everybody at the time that the bill came 
through committee that was the case. I offered an amendment to try to 
fix it, and it was defeated. Today, here we are trying to fix a bill 
that I said wasn't structured right, it was underfunded, and we tried 
to fix it.
  I have a bill to do that. It is paid for. This bill suddenly has no 
chance because it has never even been in committee yet. We can't get a 
hearing on it.
  Why? Who knows?
  We have known for a long time we had this problem. Suddenly, last 
Friday this particular bill shows up, and now, all of a sudden, we 
recognize we have a problem. We have said this for a long, long time, 6 
months or more already.
  Number two, we have a second part of this which hasn't been discussed 
very much this morning, which are the hardest-hit industries. We have 
$13 billion there. I can guarantee you, Madam Speaker, this isn't going 
to come close to fixing that problem. If you open this up to every 
single business that has been hard hit, we are going to wind up being 
back here--which is fine--but I am just telling you right now this is 
not going to fix it.
  I think one of the comments made earlier was that this bill is about 
economic resilience. I think our businesses are resilient. That is why 
our economy has continued to bounce back. But it is not going to be 
resilient if we strangle it with higher inflation, pouring more money 
into this, higher energy prices, and more regulation.
  This is about freeing up the entrepreneurial spirit of our people and 
our small businesses that drive this country, taking those burdens off, 
lowering inflation, quit spending money we don't have, and give them 
the support they need instead of choking them off with all these other 
sorts of things.

  We have a bill before us that can fix this if we allow it to come up. 
But we are not doing it this morning. Instead, we have a bill that is 
poorly structured again. I guarantee you, Madam Speaker, it is not 
funded correctly either. We are trying to find a way to claw back money 
which we don't even know for sure if we can. We have got some so far, 
but we don't have enough.
  So where is the rest of it going to come from?
  It is going to be printed. That is not how we should operate as a 
Congress. That is not what the American people expect of us. They 
deserve better than this.
  Madam Speaker, let me just close by saying that enough is enough.
  Whenever we don't let alternatives be heard, to be able to hear the 
voice of the minority and to be able to be heard, then we don't have a 
bipartisan atmosphere that this body should be operating under.
  When you have one-party rule and you throw bills on the floor without 
going through proper order, this is what you get--another bill that is 
poorly structured, that is not going to have a chance in the Senate 
because nobody has worked together to find a way to solve a problem 
which we all recognize exists.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to 
close.
  By the way, to my friend across the aisle, I concur. I am eager for a 
return to regular order, and I hope we work towards that.
  I want to thank Chairwoman Velazquez, the extraordinary staff of the 
Small Business Committee, my staff, and so many in the Capitol complex 
who have brought us to this day; Representatives Blumenauer and 
Quigley; my good friend, Brian Fitzpatrick, from across the aisle, and 
so many others. In fact, 300 Democrats and Republicans are on bills 
right now to replenish the RRF, and I want to thank them all for 
getting us here today.
  I am a small business owner myself. I have been listening to this 
debate with open ears and open eyes, a long business career, now I own 
a couple coffee shops. I used to have three, but we had to close one 
during the pandemic.
  I know how hard it is, how hard it has been, and how hard it will be. 
But we didn't take PPP. We didn't take an IDA loan. We didn't take any 
of the government support programs. That is why I am here to advocate 
for the 177,000--177,000--small restaurants and cafes and millions of 
owners, operators, and employees all around the country in my district 
and yours who were approved for RRF funds and have been waiting for 
almost a full year for us to make good on a very simple promise.
  I want to thank the thousands of other small entrepreneurs and 
enterprises in the fitness, live events, hospitality, and other hard-
hit sectors who have been waiting so patiently--but desperately--for 
support.
  A singular principle has guided me in this 8-month journey to get to 
today to see this bill become law, and it is the universal and core 
American principle of fairness.
  We promised American entrepreneurs during the worst of COVID that we 
would be there for them. We promised that those who required financial 
support to survive that we would distribute it on a level playing 
field. We promised that there would be no program just for the wealthy 
or the well-connected, and we promised them that their government, the 
United States of America, would not pick winners and losers. It is a 
theme I hear constantly from my friends across the aisle, and I agree 
with it.
  But lo and behold, what did we do?
  We did just that. We picked winners and losers by woefully 
underfunding the RRF and all but ignoring other small businesses 
dependent on public gathering that were ravaged by the pandemic. Most 
of the 100,000 restaurants and cafes that received support weathered 
the storm because of that support. They kept their lights on and their 
people paid, and they are now returning to viability. I think we can 
all agree on that. But 177,000 restaurants and cafes, often next door 
to or across the street from those who received RRF support, got 
nothing. One restaurant on one side of the street got full support, and 
the other one applied, was approved, and got nothing. This is patently 
and grossly unfair.
  Actually, let me correct myself. I shouldn't say they got nothing.
  Do you know what they got?
  They got nonforgivable bank loans. They took on credit card debt. 
They mortgaged their homes. Many lost

[[Page H4412]]

hope and closed their doors. And, yes, a number took their own lives. 
They lost hope and took their own lives. I have sat around tables with 
tears hearing those stories about how their debts mounted and their 
dreams slipped away.
  So to my friends across the aisle who plan to vote against this 
measure, particularly those whose own businesses were recipients of 
COVID aid that was passed in this Chamber, I ask a very simple 
question: How would you feel if you and your business were among the 
177,000 that got nothing?
  How would you feel?
  And was it not wasteful spending or inflationary spending when you 
took the money?
  My goodness. Today, we have got one last opportunity. I do believe it 
is the last opportunity to make good on a very simple promise that we 
made at the outset of this pandemic. Best of all, we are going to 
convert the moneys recovered from the prosecution of fraud into 
fairness. That is right, from fraud to fairness. The money that was 
fraudulently obtained is rightfully supposed to go to those whom we 
hope to benefit if we pass this bill today.
  Now, we may not always agree on policy. But, my goodness, I would 
like to think that Democrats and Republicans in the United States 
Congress can agree on the basic principle of fairness.
  That is why I will not urge; rather, I will ask, that my colleagues 
vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3807, to vote ``yes'' for American small 
businesses, and to vote ``yes'' for fairness.
  I yield back the balance of my time, Madam Speaker.
  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, in my hometown of San Francisco, and in so 
many places across the country, small businesses are the heart of our 
communities.
  They are the engines of our economy: creating good-paying jobs, 
delivering crucial goods and services, and helping power our historic 
economic recovery from the pandemic.
  But tragically, when the virus struck two years ago, our small 
businesses--and especially our restaurants--were among the hardest hit.
  Many were forced to scale back hours. Others had to lay off workers. 
And some even closed their doors for good.
  That is why Democrats fought for and won billions in economic relief 
for our small businesses in COVID relief bills. In our historic 
American Rescue Plan, we established the Restaurant Revitalization 
Fund: a vital lifeline helping more than 100,000 restaurants reopen and 
rehire.
  And today, the Democratic Congress will take another strong step to 
help our small businesses not only survive--but thrive.
  With our Relief for Restaurants and Other Hard Hit Small Businesses 
Act, we deliver urgently needed relief to tens of thousands of 
businesses struggling in the wake of the latest COVID wave.
  We salute Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez of the House Small Business 
Committee for her leadership and legislative mastery for the benefit of 
small businesses.
  And let us thank Congressmen Earl Blumenauer and Dean Phillips for 
their tireless, committed leadership on behalf of our nations' 
restaurants and small businesses.
  While small businesses have been on the path to recovery from the 
COVID crisis, the omicron variant sadly interrupted this progress. Now, 
many hard-hit businesses are in need of additional support.
  Our bill delivers $42 billion to replenish the Restaurant 
Revitalization Fund: offering a beacon of hope for the more than 
170,000 eligible restaurants that applied for RRF funding last year but 
could not access this relief due to oversubscription.
  We will also secure $13 billion to support many of our nation's 
smallest businesses who saw major revenue losses due to the pandemic.
  And we will continue to support the live entertainment venues that 
bring rich vibrancy, culture and diversity to our communities: ensuring 
they have more flexibility to best make use of their relief funding.
  Delivering desperately needed relief for America's small businesses--
the heart and soul of our nation--is an urgent economic imperative.
  In doing so, we:
  protect good-paying American jobs;
  secure the livelihoods of hard-working small business owners; and
  ensure families get goods they need, without added costs of delays.
  I urge a strong, bipartisan ``aye'' vote for this relief package--so 
that our small businesses can continue to flourish and to serve our 
communities for generations to come.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 
3807, the ``Relief for Restaurants and Other Hard Hit Small Businesses 
Act of 2022,'' which provides $70.6 billion in FY2022 for the 
Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased that this Congress is reconsidering this 
critical piece of legislation for America's restaurant owners. The 
American Rescue Plan made great progress in providing the funding in an 
equitable manner, prioritizing women, veteran, and economically and 
socially disadvantaged restaurant owners. In addition, the majority of 
funds were reserved for restaurants whose gross receipts were no more 
than $1,500,000 dollars.
  It is essential to promote equity through the Restaurant 
Revitalization Fund, Madam Speaker, considering that only 8 percent of 
restaurants are owned by blacks and 23.8 percent Asian owned businesses 
are restaurants. As legislators we must do everything we can to ensure 
their survival.
  Unfortunately, the funds appropriated from last year's lifeline did 
not reach enough of those businesses the Administration prioritized. 
Due to the efforts of Republican motivated court challenges, the 
prioritization program was ended just three weeks after it was enacted.
  Records reviewed by The New York Times show that hundreds of the 
24,000 grants made after the rule change went to applicants who were 
supposed to have been bumped to the end of the line. During that same 
period, the agency canceled at least 3,000 already-approved awards.
  Additionally, more than 1,000 successful applicants filed their 
claims on or after May 19, the day after the agency said the fund had 
effectively run dry.
  Countless black owned, veteran owned, and women owned restaurants 
were shuttered because of this heartless rule change, so it is 
essential we approve this new appropriation.
  To further underscore the personal importance this funding holds to 
me, I would like to mention a widely loved black owned, and historic 
Third Ward restaurant: Cream Burger.
  Cream Burger sits on the corner of Elgin and Scott and has been in 
operation for 60 years. It is a cash only restaurant that has only had 
two additions to the menu across the entirety of its existence: chili 
cheese fries and bacon.
  The Greenwood family has been serving the residents of the Third Ward 
their delicious burgers and homemade ice cream for decades and has no 
plans of closing any time soon.
  The original owners of the restaurant, Verna and Willie Greenwood, 
opened the restaurant to generate their own income and create 
generational wealth, which they certainly have done. Ever since their 
tragic passing, the business is now owned and operated by their 
daughters, Beverly and Sandra.
  Beverly and Sandra hope to pass the business onto the next generation 
of children so they can, ``see it through. Maybe 100 years,'' Beverly 
said.
  The restaurant sees a range of Third Ward customers every day, from 
the students at the University of Houston to the cashiers working at 
the historic Houston Food Mart just down the street.
  Cream Burger is iconic in the city of Houston, and I hold it in the 
highest reverence. It, and so many restaurants like it, is one of those 
restaurants that would receive funds from this legislation.
  It is for that reason Madam Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 3807, 
the ``Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 
2022.'' It will help save so many businesses like the beloved Cream 
Burger, so I urge my colleagues to support this critical piece of 
legislation as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 1033, the previous question is ordered 
on the bill, as amended.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was 
read the third time.


                           Motion to Recommit

  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the 
desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to 
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Ms. Van Duyne moves to recommit the bill H.R. 3807 to the 
     Committee on Small Business.

  The material previously referred to by Ms. Van Duyne is as follows:

       Add at the end the following new section:

     SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR CERTAIN 
                   COVID-19 PROGRAMS.

       (a) Paycheck Protection Program.--Section 7(a)(36) of the 
     Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)(36)) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

[[Page H4413]]

       ``(W) Statute of limitation.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, any criminal charge or civil enforcement 
     action alleging that a borrower engaged in fraud with respect 
     to a covered loan guaranteed under this paragraph shall be 
     filed not later than 10 years after the offense was 
     committed.''.
       (b) Paycheck Protection Program Second Draw Loans.--Section 
     7(a)(37) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)(37)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(P) Statute of limitations.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, any criminal charge or civil enforcement 
     action alleging that a borrower engaged in fraud with respect 
     to a covered loan guaranteed under this paragraph shall be 
     filed not later than 10 years after the offense was 
     committed.''.
       (c) Certain Economic Injury Disaster Loans.--Section 7(b) 
     of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)) is amended by 
     inserting after paragraph (15) the following new paragraph:
       ``(16) Statute of limitations.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, any criminal charge or civil enforcement 
     action alleging that a borrower engaged in fraud with respect 
     to a loan made under this subsection in response to COVID-19 
     during the covered period (as defined in section 1110(a) of 
     the CARES Act) shall be filed not later than 10 years after 
     the offense was committed.''.
       (d) EIDL Advances.--Section 1110(e) of the CARES Act (15 
     U.S.C. 9009(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraph:
       ``(9) Statute of limitations.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, any criminal charge or civil enforcement 
     action alleging that a borrower engaged in fraud with respect 
     to the use of an advance received under this subsection shall 
     be filed not later than 10 years after the offense was 
     committed.''.
       (e) Targeted EIDL Advances.--Section 331 of the Economic 
     Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act 
     (15 U.S.C. 9009b) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subsection:
       ``(i) Statute of Limitations.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, any criminal charge or civil enforcement 
     action alleging that a borrower engaged in fraud with respect 
     to the use of any amount received pursuant to this section 
     shall be filed not later than 10 years after the offense was 
     committed.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX, the 
previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit.
  The question is on the motion to recommit.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the noes appeared to have it.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 15-minute vote on the motion to 
recommit will be followed by a 5-minute vote on passage of H.R. 3807, 
if ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 205, 
nays 219, not voting 5, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 122]

                               YEAS--205

     Aderholt
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Arrington
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Banks
     Barr
     Bentz
     Bergman
     Bice (OK)
     Biggs
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (NC)
     Boebert
     Bost
     Brady
     Brooks
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budd
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Carey
     Carl
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (TX)
     Cawthorn
     Chabot
     Cheney
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyde
     Cole
     Comer
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Curtis
     Davidson
     Davis, Rodney
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Donalds
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Ellzey
     Emmer
     Estes
     Fallon
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Foxx
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Garbarino
     Garcia (CA)
     Gibbs
     Gimenez
     Gohmert
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez (OH)
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gosar
     Granger
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Grothman
     Guthrie
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hartzler
     Hern
     Herrell
     Herrera Beutler
     Hice (GA)
     Higgins (LA)
     Hill
     Hinson
     Hollingsworth
     Hudson
     Huizenga
     Issa
     Jackson
     Jacobs (NY)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Katko
     Keller
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Kim (CA)
     Kinzinger
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lesko
     Letlow
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Mace
     Malliotakis
     Mann
     Massie
     Mast
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClain
     McClintock
     McHenry
     McKinley
     Meijer
     Meuser
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (WV)
     Miller-Meeks
     Moolenaar
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (UT)
     Mullin
     Murphy (NC)
     Nehls
     Newhouse
     Norman
     Obernolte
     Owens
     Palazzo
     Palmer
     Pence
     Perry
     Pfluger
     Posey
     Reed
     Reschenthaler
     Rice (SC)
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Rosendale
     Rouzer
     Roy
     Rutherford
     Salazar
     Scalise
     Schweikert
     Scott, Austin
     Sessions
     Simpson
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smucker
     Spartz
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Steube
     Stewart
     Taylor
     Tenney
     Thompson (PA)
     Tiffany
     Timmons
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Wagner
     Walorski
     Waltz
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (SC)
     Womack
     Zeldin

                               NAYS--219

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Allred
     Auchincloss
     Axne
     Barragan
     Bass
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bourdeaux
     Bowman
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brown (MD)
     Brown (OH)
     Brownley
     Bush
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carson
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Cooper
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crist
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Davids (KS)
     Davis, Danny K.
     Dean
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Delgado
     Demings
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Fletcher
     Foster
     Frankel, Lois
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Golden
     Gomez
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gottheimer
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Higgins (NY)
     Himes
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs (CA)
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (TX)
     Jones
     Kahele
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Khanna
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kim (NJ)
     Kind
     Kirkpatrick
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Lamb
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lawson (FL)
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (NV)
     Leger Fernandez
     Levin (CA)
     Levin (MI)
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Luria
     Lynch
     Malinowski
     Maloney, Carolyn B.
     Maloney, Sean
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCollum
     McEachin
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Mfume
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Moulton
     Mrvan
     Murphy (FL)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newman
     Norcross
     O'Halleran
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Raskin
     Rice (NY)
     Ross
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Schrier
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, David
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sires
     Slotkin
     Smith (WA)
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Speier
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stevens
     Strickland
     Suozzi
     Swalwell
     Takano
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Underwood
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Velazquez
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Welch
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Wilson (FL)
     Yarmuth

                             NOT VOTING--5

     Allen
     Guest
     Sherrill
     Walberg
     Wittman

                              {time}  1119

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Messrs. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, 
McEACHIN, Mses. PINGREE, UNDERWOOD, SCANLON, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mses. 
BROWN of Ohio, DeGETTE, Messrs. RUSH, SCOTT of Virginia, Ms. LEGER 
FERNANDEZ, Messrs. PAPPAS, ESPAILLAT, BEYER, and O'HALLERAN changed 
their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
  Messrs. MOOLENAAR, BIGGS, RESCHENTHALER, WILLIAMS of Texas, PERRY, 
DesJARLAIS, PALMER, JACOBS of New York, and LAMBORN changed their vote 
from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So the motion to recommit was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  Stated for:
  Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to attend the first vote in 
the series on April 7, 2022. Had I been present, I would have voted 
``yea'' on rollcall No. 122.


    MEMBERS RECORDED PURSUANT TO HOUSE RESOLUTION 8, 117TH CONGRESS

     Bass (Beyer)
     Bilirakis (Fleischmann)
     Bowman (Evans)
     Cardenas (Soto)
     Castro (TX) (Correa)
     Cawthorn (Gaetz)
     Clark (MA) (Blunt Rochester)
     Cleaver (Blunt Rochester)
     Cooper (Correa)
     Crawford (Fleischmann)
     Crenshaw (Ellzey)
     Crist (Soto)
     Cuellar (Correa)
     Doyle, Michael F. (Evans)
     Dunn (Salazar)

[[Page H4414]]


     Frankel, Lois (Wexton)
     Gohmert (Weber (TX))
     Gomez (Soto)
     Gonzalez (OH) (Armstrong)
     Gosar (Gaetz)
     Gottheimer (Pallone)
     Harder (CA) (Correa)
     Harshbarger (Kustoff)
     Huffman (Stanton)
     Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)
     Joyce (OH) (Garbarino)
     Kahele (Mrvan)
     Katko (Moore (UT))
     Khanna (Correa)
     Kilmer (Larsen (WA))
     Kirkpatrick (Pallone)
     Krishnamoorthi (Beyer)
     Lawson (FL) (Evans)
     Levin (MI) (Garcia (IL))
     Long (Fleischmann)
     Maloney, Carolyn B. (Jeffries)
     McCaul (Ellzey)
     Meeks (Jeffries)
     Mfume (Evans)
     Newman (Garcia (IL))
     Owens (Tenney)
     Payne (Pallone)
     Peters (Jeffries)
     Porter (Wexton)
     Price (NC) (Butterfield)
     Roybal-Allard (Pallone)
     Ryan (Beyer)
     Schiff (Beyer)
     Scott, David (Jeffries)
     Sires (Pallone)
     Steube (Donalds)
     Suozzi (Beyer)
     Swalwell (Correa)
     Taylor (Jackson)
     Wasserman Schultz (Soto)
     Watson Coleman (Pallone)
     Wilson (SC) (Norman)

  (By unanimous consent, Mr. Hoyer was allowed to speak out of order.)


                          Legislative Program

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, the Senate has passed, and we have just had 
read, the passage of H.R. 7108, which is the Suspending Normal Trading 
Relations with Russia and Belarus Act. That passed 100 to zero in the 
United States Senate.
  We expect at the end of this series of votes for that bill to be on 
the floor on suspension. So there will be no break. We will continue to 
that.
  Thereafter, we expect the Suspending Energy Imports From Russia Act, 
which we voted on overwhelmingly, to be sent to us. That is currently 
79 to zero in the United States Senate.
  We are going to pass both of those bills in this House as soon as we 
get them, and it is my expectation that will complete the business for 
this week.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Tonko). The question is on the passage 
of the bill.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  This is a 5-minute vote.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 223, 
nays 203, not voting 4, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 123]

                               YEAS--223

     Adams
     Aguilar
     Allred
     Auchincloss
     Axne
     Barragan
     Bass
     Beatty
     Bera
     Beyer
     Bishop (GA)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Bonamici
     Bourdeaux
     Bowman
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brown (MD)
     Brown (OH)
     Brownley
     Bush
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carson
     Carter (LA)
     Cartwright
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Cherfilus-McCormick
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Connolly
     Cooper
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crist
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Davids (KS)
     Davis, Danny K.
     Dean
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Delgado
     Demings
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Evans
     Fitzpatrick
     Fletcher
     Foster
     Frankel, Lois
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Gomez
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Gottheimer
     Green, Al (TX)
     Grijalva
     Harder (CA)
     Hayes
     Herrera Beutler
     Higgins (NY)
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Huffman
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs (CA)
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (TX)
     Jones
     Kahele
     Kaptur
     Katko
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Khanna
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kim (NJ)
     Kind
     Kinzinger
     Kirkpatrick
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Lamb
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Lawrence
     Lawson (FL)
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (NV)
     Leger Fernandez
     Levin (CA)
     Levin (MI)
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Lowenthal
     Luria
     Lynch
     Malinowski
     Maloney, Carolyn B.
     Maloney, Sean
     Manning
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCollum
     McEachin
     McGovern
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meng
     Mfume
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Moulton
     Mrvan
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Newman
     Norcross
     O'Halleran
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Pallone
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Peters
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Pocan
     Porter
     Pressley
     Price (NC)
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     Yarmuth

                               NAYS--203

     Aderholt
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     Zeldin

                             NOT VOTING--4

     Allen
     Baird
     Guest
     Wittman

                              {time}  1201

  Mr. Rice of South Carolina and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina changed 
their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated against:
  Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, on April 7, 2022, I missed the vote on H.R. 
3807 due to a scheduling conflict. Had I been present, I would have 
voted ``nay'' on H.R. 3807, rollcall No. 123.


    MEMBERS RECORDED PURSUANT TO HOUSE RESOLUTION 8, 117TH CONGRESS

     Bass (Beyer)
     Bilirakis (Fleischmann)
     Bowman (Evans)
     Cardenas (Soto)
     Castro (TX) (Correa)
     Cawthorn (Gaetz)
     Clark (MA) (Blunt Rochester)
     Cleaver (Blunt Rochester)
     Cooper (Correa)
     Crawford (Fleischmann)
     Crenshaw (Ellzey)
     Crist (Soto)
     Cuellar (Correa)
     Doyle, Michael F. (Evans)
     Dunn (Salazar)
     Frankel, Lois (Wexton)
     Gohmert (Weber (TX))
     Gomez (Soto)
     Gonzalez (OH) (Armstrong)
     Gosar (Gaetz)
     Gottheimer (Pallone)
     Harder (CA) (Correa)
     Harshbarger (Kustoff)
     Huffman (Stanton)
     Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)
     Joyce (OH) (Garbarino)
     Kahele (Mrvan)
     Katko (Moore (UT))
     Khanna (Correa)
     Kilmer (Larsen (WA))
     Kirkpatrick (Pallone)
     Krishnamoorthi (Beyer)
     Lawson (FL) (Evans)
     Levin (MI) (Garcia (IL))
     Long (Fleischmann)
     Maloney, Carolyn B. (Jeffries)
     McCaul (Ellzey)
     Meeks (Jeffries)
     Mfume (Evans)
     Newman (Garcia (IL))
     Owens (Tenney)
     Payne (Pallone)
     Pelosi (Velazquez)
     Peters (Jeffries)
     Porter (Wexton)
     Price (NC) (Butterfield)
     Roybal-Allard (Pallone)
     Ryan (Beyer)
     Schiff (Beyer)
     Scott, David (Jeffries)
     Sherrill (Pallone)
     Sires (Pallone)
     Steube (Donalds)
     Suozzi (Beyer)
     Swalwell (Correa)
     Taylor (Jackson)
     Wasserman Schultz (Soto)
     Watson Coleman (Pallone)
     Wilson (SC) (Norman)

                          ____________________