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Public officials and stand up until the American People exactly what they thought. To paraphrase place in that day in 1972, coming to be that candidate. It i will say to you, with every breath in my body and i will never ever let you down. On sunday profile the former Vice President joe biden. And President Donald Trump from cspans video library. 6 30 p. M. , on the political career of joe biden. Standing 30 years from his three president ial campaigns, his time in the senate and is Vice President. In a 9 30 p. M. , Jonathan Carl of abc news and julie pace from the Associated Press political career of President Trump going back to decades from real estate developer, Reality Television start becoming the nations 45th president. What profiles in the president ial candidates, sunday at 6 30 p. M. And 9 30 p. M. Eastern. On cspan and cspan. Org. Resident cspan radio app. Watch book tvs coverage of the 20th and book festival this weekend, this Virtual Event hosted by library of congress features online author discussions. Plus line segments. On saturday at 7 00 p. M. Eastern author gail collins with the book, no stopping is now. Right now since the 70s, there has been this transformation of the economic privilege in america. Spec and a 745, she joins us for a live discussion can your phone calls. And then at 8 00 p. M. , historian john meacham with his book, his truth is marching on. Heres a man born in 1940. Who repeatedly in the American South 50 and 60 years ago, acted in the tradition of essentially an early christian saint. Followed by life segment is 8 30 p. M. Or well take your questions. On sunday, at 7 00 p. M. Eastern. Cosmo. Cosmo was an effort to give the broadest possible public a global public. Coordinates in space and in time. It. She will take your life calls and tweets at 730 in the entity p. M. , he discusses his book regulated. I live right about the corporate world. And organizing against. It. Like all starting at 8 40 p. M. Watch book tvs coverage of the 20th annual book stable. This weekend on cspan2. Next, a house subcommittee examines the Coronavirus Impact on the Restaurant Business. Witnesses includes Restaurant Owners officials and worker advocates. They discuss extending the payment Protection Programs. And crating of focus package for Worker Protections and restaurants. Thank you everyone for joining us today. While this hearing virtually in compliance with the regulations for Remote Committee proceedings pursuant to the House Resolution 965. As the third virtual subCommittee Hearing read as with her previous hearings, month members to know that i plan to continue this long tradition of substantive debate substantive debate even as we conduct our business from afar. I will continue to work with Ranking Member mr. Smith. In his staff to ensure the right of all members are respected in this new virtual format. And so before i turn todays important topic i want to remind members of a few procedurals to help you navigate this platform. First, consistent with regulations, the committee will keep microphones muted to limit background noise. Members are responsible for amusing themselves when they seek recognition. But when recognize for over five minutes segment. And second, members and witnesses must have their cameras on at all times. If you need to step away from the proceedings, please leave your camera on rather than logging out. And finally we have several members are waiting on to the subcommittee for todays hearing. Given the large number, i will recognize members in order the represents a balanced ratio beginning with members on the subcommittee. Understand the mr. Smith does not wish to be the first republican member to ask questions. Thank all of you for your continued patience as we navigate this technology in order to continue serving our country together in this great time of need. The objection, representative don buyer is authorized to serve as a chair today. In the event that i experience any technical difficulties i cant stay connected. Then i will turn the important topic of todays hearing, restaurants in america, during the covid19 pandemic. Rug is restaurants and workers are resilient forced. And whether past recessions and fought their way back after hurricanes and wildfires. The challenges they face now are unlike anything that is, for them. Restaurants and other places where we gather, like theaters, arenas and concert halls are equally vulnerable or uniquely vulnerable to the Current Public Health crisis. The places made up together but we celebrate congregate with friends and family. Social distancing is a Public Health necessity. Because of the heart of an industry all about taking care of people by bringing them together. Thats not where the industry challenges begin. Restaurants are making spaces safer for their guests and employees. Looking to comply with the revolving Public Health guidance and facing ahead to Outdoor Dining is the weather changes. These cost an upgrade and are tough to absorb an industry or Profit Margins are three 5 percent of the norm. That is before additional costs are added by tariffs and other factors. The toll the virus is taken on restaurants, is reverberating throughout the economy. So far, tren covid19 claim numr 30000 restaurants. His level such a direct hit the one in four unemployed americans today are restaurant workers. This was an unforeseeable catastrophe. Before the pandemic the restaurant understates was booming with over million establishments nationwide employing over 50 Million People. The restart workforce is it justice hard if not harder than the others. Restaurants work is tough the industry is full of tenacious young strong people. Restaurant workers are disproportionately young people of color. Restaurants employed more than a million single bombs. These jobs disappeared through no fault of the restaurant workers. Any of them was back at work as soon as it is safe. They need our support. Im proud of the pandemic relief measures that this committee and other committees aspirated just for restaurants and workers whose jobs disappeared. The Employee Retention tax credit, and the 1200 checks in the 600dollar expanded the federal unEmployment Benefits, all helped. They were not perfect but they did a lot of good rated flowing past those bills, we do not know how long the virus would interrupt our economy. We were not sure how deep the recession would get. We have to virus would be better content by now. And in economy would be a better condition. But the not bring records restaurant workers need another relief package. America needs another really package. Has passed just such a measure on the 15th of may. The heroes act would approve another extended run stimulus checks and continue the 600 per week federal unemployment supplement. It would improve the ppe an Employee Retention tax credit and it would help restaurants make rent the tax credit and i led to keep lights on act. The senate has wasted more than four months. We have to act now to save this industry before is too late. Any 5 percent of the independent restaurants may go under before the end of the year for federal relief does not come. This is unthinkable. Restaurants make an enormous contribution to our economy and labor market. They do more than that. Neighborhoods mark walkable environment. They help us get appointed with other cultural intention her own roots. They give a space so will celebrate our lives and even take her mind apart difficulties. My district, restaurants are fighting to survive. We need to stand with them. I would like to warmly welcome all the witnesses who are joining us today and thank you for what to do. I would like to recognize the Ranking Member mr. Smith of nebraska for the purposes of an opening statement. Thank you. Ingham i would like to express my frustration bright and frustrated that we are having another hearing under the offices of the subcommittee. An important tool here, think it is important to note the majority of what we will care is nothing new. Im frustrated that even the one holding subCommittee Hearing, so any democrats waiting to come to talk about their political priorities. Issues which really are not in our jurisdiction find given those intense interest, perhaps we can have a constructive full Committee Hearing on topics within the committees jurisdiction spread like measures such as the employment intention credit and Economic Relief payments and other issues that affect the workers and employers. The most frustrated by the primary reasons we are here. The democratic leadership messaging opportunities for members overcoming to the table have a serious conversation about how dr. Fauci and reopen our economy. The primary interest is holding the show votes on another partisan package which encompasses helping americans just so that members can go home and tell her constituents that they did something even though really nothing was done. Ellis of the last time we met, republicans had ideas of how to help her workers. We are committed to defeating this to season safely reopening our economy. We know there are any areas which we can have bipartisan agreements for me also know any of our democratic colleagues are also frustrated by the willingness of the speaker to hold hostage what we agreed to pass a bipartisan basis. Decline the president s offer to enhance Employment Benefits and continue to negotiate in bipartisan way. Just this week, she pulled out of a bipartisan, risking the agenda and holding hostage the former deny along with the rangers naked producers in hungry families. [inaudible]. We see it every time we begin demanding and dollar figure rather than actual priority in a healthy reopening the United States of america. We must do better. Essential workers, deserve real action. And i witnesses can testify to that. I want to for being here today. Restaurants are vital to our economy, they provide Economic Opportunity for people of all ages. And provide millions of jobs. My district one in the nation make production in nebraska we understand that adding value to agriculture is s important or more important than the initial production. Yall do immense work and value to what we do. Thank you from doing what you do. Restaurants cooks in service and bar tenders and has another some they need assistance we can have our perspective place that we can help them. Such as assistance with cleaning and safety cost. Or ingesting the employers im sorry the employees to tax credits. We mus and also keep in mind tht restaurants are the only hurting by the restrictions on travel hotels and theaters and gyms in others are just a few of the other industries impacted it. I would like to ask unanimous can consent to include a letter and several Hotel Lodging associations inc. And this goes with the payroll production program. Without objection. I would also like to ask unanimous consent to the liking republican brave opening remarks and record. Without objection such will be ordered. Thank you and look forward to hearing from her witnesses predispute. Thank you. I am proud that our Committee Chair is joining us today. His unwavering commitment to the restaurant and Hospitality Industries in western massachusetts is well known. An outstanding. Yield five minutes to his brave remarks that he would like to make. Thank you chairman and Ranking Member smith. In a special that thanks to the house. We have a more common purpose in the recognition and the acknowledgment until we defeat this virus, were not interested into a full economic recovery. These restaurants are earning throughout my district and all over the country. Their employees and familiar neighborhoods where people gather, place to connect with family and friends. That the important job creators. Everybody on this link is dismayed by the testimonies covered by the chairman of the Federal Reserve board. Nobody listened to the federal surfboard until the different lesson republicans. Now as it was before the cares act, was profound. We suggested as the economy is in need of a major help. We should all be united around the testimony. Secretary mission to enforce the federal jay powell had to say. A speaker policy initiative on this entirely without testimony. [inaudible]. Are the bistro bar was compounded, they were all made the same argument in place. When covid19 virus state home orders, data cataclysmic effect on our nations restaurants and the workers. Early restaurants continue a one and for loss from the covid19 shutdown. In these establishments, are facing cuts in wages and hours. No how difficult it is that industry to retain employees. As part of the cares act providing financial lifeline to businesses and an incentive for Restaurant Owners keep the workers. Alone in my district, over 800 were distributed to restaurants and 68 million and save 14000 jobs. And restaurant worker often marginalized. New Program Providing peace of mind for them and families. In front of the work that the common law of massachusetts is done. Reopening restaurants throughout the commonwealth. I speak with governor baker almost every day. But the need for additional assistance on saturday night, we were on the phone for an hour discussing this matter. Congress is paying attention to the request is made. To the example about capital, guidelines we need to follow. And more is needed to help our nation struggling restaurants. We need to continue to remember the more than anything else, it is a Health Crisis. The nations economy will bounce back until we beat it. Until it was safe effective teresa vaccine as well. Since march, the committee is taken a substantial step knowing to combat the Health Crisis by the sport American Workers and keep our economy afloat. Twentyfive members of the house of representatives voted against the cares act. We try to replicate heroes act. Is outvoted in their employees restaurants as well. Significantly increases the ability of the tax credit which i would press for as we proceeded to new negotiations in the mix of marked of the expenses. It is estimated up to 60 3m markers. The receive assistance by vigorously embracing Employee Retention tax credit. Was the ppp as well and have employers continue to pay their employees. Heroes act also paid family medical leave. Also helps clear the Families First act, the we need to embrace in 2021. Provides another crowd of Economic Impact payments and childcare and help struggling workers and their families. These are reasonable and effective relief measures and a long ways to help alleviate workers who are desperate for support insurance. This the biggest crisis. The Restaurant Industry and has never place. And we support the supply chains, the farmers and fishermen and indeed the truck drivers. By this, quote a double impact. [inaudible]. And any of the area of restaurants are impacted because of this. The effects will be felt all going into this fall season when the tourist usually come in by the tens of the hundreds of thousands fox to the area. The Restaurant Industry, it certainly now any more than ever. We have an obligation help them. And that includes more money into our economy. The heroes act provides that. As we begin, the leadership on these important issues no one remind all what i said earlier. The Federal Reserve board cannot comply to the democrats and the republicans. The testimony offered two days ago, by jay powell should have a profound impact on these deliberations. These restaurants simply need help. So thank you for holding this hearing. Thank you mr. Chairman. Without objection. All members Opening Statements will be made part of the record. And thank you to our distinguished witnesses for taking the time to appear before us today to discuss this very important issue. First we have mayor buddy dyer of orlando florida. Hes the city of orlandos longestserving mayor, having served continuously since his first election in 2003. In one of the longest serving bigcity mayors in the United States. Before Holding Public office, the mayor worked as an environmental engineer. And a proprietor of the Big Restaurants in sonoma, california. The fig cafe and wine bar in wyoming, california and event space fullservice Catering Company and food truck. Shes also a cookbook author. And as a podcast dedicated to food. Christine is the chef and proprietor of the blind goat restaurant and chef all in easton, texas. Is massage first restaurant after winning season three of masterchef in 2012. An accomplishment meeting the more notable due to her permanent blindness. She suffers from a result of an autoimmune disease. Following are televised when, she authored New York Times bestselling cookbook. And cook show and served as masterchef. In another, has markets a food server in pinon steakhouse in las vegas for 35 years. Is been a member of the culinary Workers Union, local 226 in las vegas. Since 1982. Learning and when he was just 16 years old. And, a resident of one fair wage, coauthor of restaurant opportunities that are united. And a Food Laboratory Research Center in california berkeley. Melvin, the 2020 chairman of the National Restaurant association and president and ceo of the restaurant in new orleans and baton rouge, louisiana. New york or new orleans location has been in business since 1905. The former president of the louisiana Restaurant Association. Each of your statements will be made part of the record and it is entirely. I would ask you that you summarize your testimony in five minutes or less. Now be within time, there is a clock on the screen. If you go over your time, i will notify you when the tap the gavel on the marking pens read it and all again for being here. In mayor we will start with you. Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. The 17 years of the the privilege of serving he was the mayor of the great city of orlando must be no orlandos roles number one destination for visitors. We also like to say for the best places to live in Small Business. Anyways americas new melting pot. Regional community were more than a thousand new residents join us every single week. Lots of access to opportunity. And quite honestly better example of the strength that comes from our diversity and how we work with great opportunity and are restaurant spray to play in civil, orlandos restaurant town. Room to the headquarters of some of the most iconic brands lobster, and also the popular emerging brands such as for reverse barbecue and the asian street fair. Equally important were home to a vibrant downtown and any main street small districts. Orders are filled with family owned restaurants. Their living the American Dream everything the day making incredible food and adding to the unique Cultural Diversity while providing residents with places to make memories, good friends and families are sharing our restaurant, Chicago Tribune and other publications. As one of the best foodies places in america. So are restaurants in the ecosystem that supports them are vital part of our local economy rated the foundational part of our culture. A. M. Your behalf of these diverse restaurants. And everyone is part of it. Im here on behalf of our main street Small Business owners in orlando Small Businesses all across america. Im here to deliver a distress call. Our restaurants are in trouble and they need your help. The local level, we encourage the restaurants to think outside of the box last several months to help them in ways to stay afloat during the crisis due to expanded Outdoor Dining in parking lots and sidewalks and parks. We turn any of our city streets in the restaurant parks. The big spending carry out an alcohol sales. We have done everything we can think of from a local government standpoint and this point, more than a third of the restaurant workers have been laid off or furloughed operators dont know when or if will be able to bring it back. Our restaurants need to help. Members of the subcommittee. Wish each of you can take a walk with me through our Small Business district kind to meet some of these great people. These are powerful stories about everything you have into a business into a dream. And right now you heres stories of perseverance and strength. Here what is like to work harder than you ever thought possible. In order to keep your business open and your employs a separate here how much they want to operate safely. And finally indiscretion. What is like to be scared about the future. And not know how much longer you can hold on. None of the congress and the administration are currently debating various ways to help the Restaurant Owner survive this pandemic. And when i talked to those in my community, the. Clear of what they need crane expansion, increase flexibility, ppe. Expansion of the Employee Retention tax credit or anything of this committee is considering. Tax credits to help the unexpected costs of personal protective equipment. To help their employees and customers those are big things that can help those businesses and by association, the town centers and communities that make our try to make it through these difficult times. There be a time in this pandemic when like terms to normal brain about for so any people return to normal will involve being able to once again gathering restaurant. But the thing is if we dont act now to help our restaurants, there may not be restaurants to go back to. Thats not an exaggeration. That is a reality on main street america right now. Putting differences aside and Work Together to help our restaurants. I think you for your time today. It. Thank you for your testimony mayor. Thank you so much. Really appreciate you having me today. Im in the Hospitality Business for almost 40 years. I started as a server the tgi friday. Eventually traveled around the country opening up new restaurants. I fell in love the Restaurant Business. I was going to be a photographer but i just loved being with people rated blood serving food and feeling like i was having a party everyday. I decided that i was going to do everything i could to work towards having my own business. In 1997, i opened my first restaurant. We started with 17 employees. Family members. I was such a moment. Think about the adrenaline of opening a restaurant. Is my favorite part. So exciting. Twentythree years later, my business is still there. I worked really hard to expanded with other operations putting catering. We had 240 employees right before the pandemic. I shut down before the mandate because i was really concerned about our employees getting sick. And i guess getting sick and not really understanding what was going on. We just shut the doors and try to think about what we are going to do. We ended up laying off 170 over team members. These are family members, people who have worked really hard for us. After the restaurant in our community. It was heartbreaking. It took a little while, so grateful for the ppe. Obviously there were issues in the beginning argues that money within 833 were so grateful that some of those things can be changed so that it could be extended. We have since used our money. The money is gone. Weve been able to retain 75 and 80 employees. When a beautiful season right now. Wine country summer. Outdoor season, we have minus allowances to expand into the sidewalks. In her park plaza greatest fear doing absolutely everything we can to stay afloat. Clean out that if we are clean, we can maybe get through the spring but i never wouldve thought that today we would still be in the rest of the pandemic. Another such great programs. The tax retention credit and the restaurant act that the Restaurant Coalition and up in the coalition is working on. Theres a any great programs that are out there. We need help like yesterday. Once water happened and we cannot serve outside. Were going to have to lay off another 60 people. I dont know i dont know how went dream of what i have done for all of these years has or will disintegrate. I miss our guests gathering around the table. It miss hearing her staff. I miss hearing kitchen yelling for the runners to come get the food and so any other things. Must welcome im so grateful for all of you. To take the time to consider the Restaurant Business. I am one of so any Small Businesses. I can imagine everybody else is feeling the same pain i am. And the other thing that i want to note really quickly is that we are a trickledown business. So for not doing business. And work not buying from our farmers and ranchers. In our catering, we lost over 50 weddings this catering season. The photographers and the djs and the fans in the floris the cake makers. All of these people lost that business too. So it comes down to celebration and memories and having the gap instead of creating these incredible times, where panic and advair. And were just scared of the invisible pandemic that is happening around us that we have absolutely no control over. So thank you and i really appreciated the effort and grateful for the opportunity to speak. Thank you very much. Good morning. Thank you so much for this opportunity to testify before you today. Ill take a little bit about my story. My name is christine. My parents were viennese refugees. They came here on eight u. S. Naval ship in 1975. They escaped one day before the eminem fall. Came here to america to make a better life for themselves. I lawrence other california and raised in texas. Growing up in texas, i was straddling two different posters. Made a lot of viennese home. Back then when things a belly, were not yet trendy meat spring that was for my parents could afford. My mom did a great job cooking these ingredients and making them into meals that a family and make them go along place credit forwarded several years. I was in college and actually never learned to cook for my mom. She passed away when i was 14. The foods in my youth writing the flavors of the inmates foods and my mom cooked. So i taught myself how to cook in college. My first cooked meal my remains of my friends enjoyed. It was totally worth it. All of this left in the kitchen and the smell of fish sauce and onions and things but i was able to feed my friends. Them something about the joy of being able to create something and feed other people and welcome them at my table. My small little west Campus Apartment that made me feel the joy of cooking. So i kept at it. I became a good cook. And coincidentally in my 20s, from the same time and i was excelling in cooking, began to lose my vision. Due to an auto immune disease. And it affects your optic nerve and spinal cord. Hadley my corporate job eventually. And just on my health and recovery. It is at the that i decided to do a career change. I would back to school to get a masters degree in creative writing. At the university of houston. The same time i decided to audition for show called masterchef. Its a show for home cooks parameter home cooks. Because thats what i was. And as a writer, i thought i wanted to experience is much as i could in life. I thought it would meet Gordon Ramsay and come home and not when the competition but have a great story to write about. But lo and behold, being the only blind contestant in this competition, i kind of just if anything, my parents had taught me. Being a survivor of the war, and the new country behind. All of the things behind to come and make a new life in america perseverance and correct. So i did my best in the competition in 2012, and fastforward seven years after that. In the last year in july i got to open my very first restaurant. On the blind goat in houston. We are take four squarefoot station inside of a mall inside of downtown houston. As one goes, we serve nontraditional vietnamese menu but true to my mothers cooking, a lot of traditional favorites that i grew up eating but of course the texas twist since i grew up in texas others little bit of barbecue, a little bit of texmex, but a lot of viennese flavors. As soon as we opened the doors, the blind goat was fortunately very very busy. Running out of food everyday. People i guess were still very interested and carries on my cooking like since i was declared a winner of the show. Several years before. So we were very fortunate to feed a lot of people and brought a lot of joy to people not only in our staff, but the guests in our community. In a december 31st, 2019. The chronicle restaurant cook give the blind got three stars. A few weeks after that, found out that we were named in the long list for the foundation of new restaurants in america. Never in a million years did i think i myself, a blind home cook will be able to run a business. Started from the ground up to be named with such an honor. And of course we all remember in midmarch, was when the country started shutting down. And on march 16th, restaurant for the blind goat immediately pivoted to takeout and delivery. We had to scale back hours. For the safety of my state, we closed our doors. Legislation to help restaurants like mine independent and cap he and survive in this pandemic. Thank you that is a very inspiring story to thank you for sharing it with us. Will recognize please proceed. Hello everyone. I am a surveyor downtown las vegas on fremont street the Culinary Union member of 39 years i am here to tell you healthcare and employment have acted my life workers must be protected when they return to work with job security and the right to return to our jobs when businesses reopened for me and thousands of workers in nevada with the that we need to get to this pandemic is raised here in las vegas working at 16 years old had been working at the same jobs is to be one. Is in the Economy Group changes since 9 11, 2008 recession and walking the line without a have never been through a situation like this before you go right now and receiving unEmployment Benefits because the workplace does not open. My payment on top of unemployment help me survive most of the year now the extra 600 is not renewed im in a 750 per month deficit every month my daughter took on the extra burden because i didnt have the money is put her in a difficult place what about the economy crashing again we can i get a job in this town right now so places have not opened. What we do . And we not only do we need unEmployment Benefits extended possible stimulus check to get pandemic. Also workers have a right to resume their jobs in the open right now we are fighting way to return to work in clark county urging commissioners to have an ordinance to protect workers like us who have lost jobs due to did it cost the Company Nothing to bring us back to work they should not waste time and money trying to hire and train with experience are just waiting for the spoken. We should not be replaced with younger workers. We spend our lives working for our company. We shouldnt have to start our careers in medicine retire with dignity. Knowing i have a job to return to gives me hope and hope can take me a long ways. We helped build our industry the least they can do for us to save our jobs. All Workers Union and nonunion need to return to work they all need help. We also need higher safety standard when they return to work we need to be protected if we get called back to work first in the nation safety regulation with covid19. If my Company Calls me that will have to follow strict laws for days off quarantine if i am exposed in the workplace will be set by the Health District and workers across the nation should have that protection last but not least a Health Insurance coverage when i went on strike in the nineties i needed Health Insurance for children. Right after that i found i had brain cancer and i needed that insurance myself been in remission 29 years play have other medications have to take my benefits are covered hundred percent especially with this crisis we are facing with this deadly disease. Workers in a congress to work on policy to protect them. Please do anything to make sure working families in america euppercaseletter bills stay in their homes and have healthcare during a deadly pandemic things work on policy guarantee workers the right to return to work when business resumes that would give working families like mine hope and we need that hope by now. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. Thank you again. Thank you chairman and Ranking Member smith for inviting me and all the other witnesses for your moving testimony. Thank you for your work on tax credits and a stimulus check to assert uc berkeley with the National Organization and the Restaurant Industry for the last 20 years we have 220,000 restaurant worker members he hundred 50 owner members including those who testified last week and several thousand consumer members across the country. We are definitely in crisis as an industry and its heartbreaking to hear employers losing their dreams and businesses the course is sad but consumers who lose their favorite neighborhood restaurant that is lifethreatening for workers 13. 6 million know losing their dreams and their work homes, ability to the children and pay for heat and other utilities with winter coming. It is a very dire lifethreatening situation for workers literally facing homelessness right now the Restaurant Industry prior to the pandemic was in crisis secondlargest and fastestgrowing employer with the lowest paying wages of any employer in the United States due to the sub minimum wage which is a literal legacy of slavery the trade lobby demanded the right to hire and not pay them anything and have them live entirely on tips is a mutation of the original concept of tipping which was supposed to be a bonus on top of the wage slavery in the United States that made to paying a replacement for wage rather than extra bonus on top at 2. 13 wage today. To dollar increase over 150 years prior to the pandemic that led to Homeland Security and Food Insecurity economic insecurity the highest rates of sexualharassment with a largely female workforce having to tolerate inappropriate Customer Behavior and discrimination of workers of colors that have planted less than white workers resulting in a five dollars per hour wage gap between black women and a wage gap between those that existed in the industry with the pandemic it became an issue of life or death because seven states garbled of the system over again washington montana and Alaska Industries doing much better a higher job growth rates but in those 43 states our calculations based on 220,000 workers 60 percent of two workers were unable to access Unemployment Insurance because they were told the sub minimum wage was too low to qualify for benefits in their state also largely unable to access the 600 because in many cases state and i made it for them to access federal funding. So many were left without income, thousands destitute you see them living in parks. Its a very dire situation. Called back to work to observe down to 75 percent with only a twodollar wage because the same workers who are being asked to enforce social distancing and mask rules are being made to rely on tips for those very same customers and their families. Either they will enforce the families were more likely they will not enforce the rules because they need the tips to feed their families. There is a severe Public Health crisis from the cdc reported last week twice as likely to get the virus from eating in a restaurant if we expect these workers to enforce social distancing then they have the pain that they need to enforce that walmart relying on tips. Thank you so much for the tax credits and other important programs has to to consider tax credits now they are transitioning to a federal minimum wage with tips on top consider extending the fica tax credit only employers want to switch to a minimum wage with Service Charges penetrated as tips and tax credits as opposed to something different. There so much you can do to support literally thousands of Restaurant Owners who want to change the system amendment to minimum wage for most of workers who depend on that transition. Thank you. You are recognized please proceed. Are you there quick. Good morning chairman and members of the committee and the two follow witnesses for your time. Im president of restaurants in louisiana. Thank you mr. Chairman for mentioning our founding in 19 oh five that is special to me as you can imagine the stakes are high for all of us across the country also sitting chair the National Restaurant association and i have been appreciative of this hearing and inviting me to testify this morning i began let me congratulate the newest member of the committee will be a fantastic addition and all of us here in louisiana and his constituency are out of his continued achievements. We are facing a similar to the challenges facing restaurants of every type across the country with limited capacity and limited demand and only half of the 160 employees are back to work we cannot ignore what happened in the short term or hope for the ongoing efforts and potentially determine our future Restaurant Owners are making Business Decisions for october based on the actions you make today i am going to take action before leaving town for the elections because Congress Adjourns without galvanizing and industry specific recovery fund, extending the Paycheck Protection Program where enhanced relief, more restaurants will close. More employees will lose their jobs, the economic crisis of the pandemic will deepen. No industry has been hit harder. Forced to close and last will and and and industry relying on social interaction during a time of social distancing. In the Restaurant Industry the landscape stark one out of six restaurants are closed 40 percent of those are likely to close in the next six months that additional federal aid and industries on track to lose 240 billion of revenue this year in my state of ministers lost 31000 jobs have the the pandemic workforce ppe and relief designed for eight weeks six months and were still months away from recovery. Restaurants have suffered more losses than any other restaurant restaurants and employees need targeted help for the second largest private sector rent for survival out why these tools congress should pass the Senate Version of the restaurant act which takes a balanced approach to independent locally owned franchised restaurants and in addition to the ppe enhancement just mentioned, should ensure businesses businesses are taxdeductible we ask that Congress Enact refundable tax credits for social distancing somebodys amid the playing operating climate and to enhance the duration of businesses that can use the Employee Retention and tax credit. Healthy restaurants and employees have a personal connection as you know and sometimes its a chain or a local restaurant but every one of you is a place that is their favorite regardless of the name on the door restaurants are community cornerstones. They have more diversity and more women in diverse managers and owners than any other sector in the economy the hospitality we share is a direct result who and by all americans your help can support us in this crisis as we continue our efforts for recovery. Thank you. Without objection and each member will be recognized for five minutes to question our witnesses we might observe the gibbons rule in this remote setting instead go in order of seniority switching between majority and minority members remember to unmute yourself and i will begin by recognizing myself. Mayor, countless other state officials across the country you are just for the needle to protect the health of your constituents while providing the opportunity to protect their economic livelihood and 85 percent of independent restaurants are in danger of closing and restaurant workers make up one out of four coronavirus related job losses had anticipated the pandemic to affect the economy of orlando short run and longrun without relief . We are substantially impacted not just revenues to the city but that are in the pockets of our citizens we had to balance the needs of restaurants would help right now is a state determined capacity issue they are limited so as a city with a thought of every unique way we can help restaurants with private parking lots or public spaces adjacent to expand capacity. Fifteen minute Parking Spaces. We turn Parking Spaces into Outdoor Dining. Work downtown 20 percent of the Office Towers are occupied which means no moonshine cloud for restaurants downtown it bleeds into every aspect of our community. Do you need federal help . Absolutely. What happens if that does not come . More and more of these restaurants and Small Businesses will close and will be out of work. More than just the restaurant community. Absolutely. What happens as a local elected the conference try up, what do you do to balance the books . In florida local governments are largely funded by property taxes so the property tax rates for set before the pandemic hit so he will be okay for the current year but the next few years of Property Values decline an extended longterm is likely to occur, we would be in a different state than we are right now. I understand but what can a City Government do . You cut services you cant raise taxes in a pandemic so we would have to cut services. You lay people off and cut services so its a double hit to your constituents not only do they lose the economics in their community to turn around and have more people unemployed with less services. Exactly. Restaurant owners invest significant time and resources with very compelling stories of those today to maintain your establishments having factored in the number of customers that you need to serve to breakeven and the capacity to do that can you help educate the committee what that means to a Restaurant Owners such as yourself and how you are just operations in the interest of Public Health . Here today we have seen 100,000 less guests than last year at this time. We have nine tables in a space we used to have 25. On a saturday they would be ten servers two or three host, the kitchen now we have two servers on the same shift. We are definitely down working at 30 percent capacity. The catering business is at about 5 percent of the Catering Company was 35 percent of the entire business its not our story alone. He didnt feel safe allowed to open the inside because we are in an old and funky building and i think we can keep the staff safe so we are trying whatever and doing collaborations with other people. But the ppe helped a lot it helps the rent which is very expensive in the area that we are. Trying to renegotiate our rent all cost is going up government cost. We have raise our prices because we know our community is suffering as well and they feel extra pressure to come to a restaurant to help save them to keep up the business so one of the things i think will go classes our ability to help our community with the wildfires we jumped in to help feed First Responders and when the pandemic came again we need and to nourish and we want to help we did about 20000 meals in a short period of time so we can keep people working our fear our community will lose some of those efforts i know we cant make it on this capacity its big expenses to a small occupancy. I know honestly. And unlike orlando sonoma doesnt have local property taxes to fall back on so of local State Government doesnt get help from the federal government and the city has to lay people off or cut services, is that your take it with you more . Without question on so many levels whether the staff to pay the bills or even to stay open to the community that depends on wages. Thank you very much you spoke to the desire to preserve the employer where the and how it having a certainty the Employee Retention and tax credit with 80 percent of wages do to help you keep staff on when you can resume normal operations . And that is the biggest areas to keep it open so anything like tax credits or any additional tax relief is most helpful to the highest parity is to pay my staff a fair wage. Because of the generosity of the ppe to supplement some of attempt to not getting because we had to close. I feel its been tough to make ends meet progress with this restaurant so i am learning everything just having to start a place with the ground up and now with covid experiencing all kinds of things in the Restaurant Industry. I follow what legislation gets passed like the tax credits will greatly help you could keep our minimal cash flow. The House Democratic these like the 1200dollar Economic Impact payments and the stimulus he told me a lot and make just under 1000 a month and unemployment is been enough to get by. With has been my life is a hospitality town. I dont know what else to say that. I just dont. And how that may be exacerbating the problem. The nations lowest paid workforce and a good 10 million workers were living with the wages facing the highest rates the of economic instability every year the department of labor that is not reflected on the incredible employers on this call 850 amazing employers not paying your workers with better Employee Retention and less turnover and we have documented and to move up letters and have access to benefits. But they didnt know what he says states with massive amounts of insecurity and 40 percent of restaurant workers aged 24 the 60 percent above the age of 24 are largely working adults and children feeding kids on 213 and fourdollar wages prior to the pandemic. The inability to access unemployment in many cases tips were unreported but in many cases by employers. One in michigan a single mother told us that reported my tips religiously every year but because my employer did not my age of 3. 52 was too low in the state i could not qualify then i tried for the federal 600 and i was told that was eligible and when they finally did access and it ended. For what i want to emphasize is that and those are the same customers that are supposed to get tips and that is a direct contradiction last incentivize employers that are doing the right thing and moving away from that system and to change that Service Charge of the tax code for minimum wage. I a call for beach orlando door lens on the day tourist areas like willow beach i have 1700 restaurants maybe the highest per capita anywhere in the country. We all knew that struggle very well. That was for because they are the most effective industry with the extension of the ppe program a democrats voted against it with a motion we made on wednesday attached to a bowl. But the truth is i have offered tax credits 50 percent of the cost to make the workplace save included in the Senate Package from dropping a bill today on monday and tuesday and wednesday at 13. And to do everything to hold the Restaurant Industry but your help is being held up by leadership. There are two things in the relief package unless they get those things in our bailout for state and local governments so that they can reinstate the deductibility of state and local taxes. Go to the top 1 percent that opposes negotiation up we can already resolve this and deliver the help to you yesterday the line in the sand will cost to you dollars to reinstate the state and local Tax Deduction and about the state and local governments. And to be used as a Pressure Point i think its a shame and i think its a disaster there is nobody republican or democrat on this panel who doesnt understand and we all want to deliver it to you. And its the state and local bailout and the ability to write off state and local taxes. I am with you and putting up every. I know to help you. And that to be uniformly rejected at the house leadership is saying that we cannot let you get help us to the bailout siliceous move ahead with his help just trying to answer the these people to help millionaires and billionaires. Your time is expired. You are recognized of minutes. Thank you very much. You said help is on the way in this industry when the house passed legislation to address this pandemic. Tragically and declaring the virus will just go away in the summer months and did nothing for two months and they sat on their hands and failed to respond and offered no alternatives and refuse to negotiate and the spirit has prevailed and those sense of senate bill finally came out. With that provision of state and local taxes for a full repeal but it has very little to do with we are today. On the contrary our position today has been to provide some relief to negotiate in good faith much of the state and local assistance of which he complains is very important and i have found in the communities that represent this is true across the country assistance to local governments allow them to reach out and when the gaps the federal legislation has not addressed to create on come up with creative ways to support restaurants in my community and the Music Industry also the music capital of the world and with those local businesses to survive. Those play a vital role in providing a Community Spirit and employment and most importantly to provide good food. I have seen estimates in the state of texas lose half of our restaurants if we dont get relief and the next six months i have seen that already begun to happen in my community. Is in other venues shut down permanently losing one major location and in san antonio great texmex food anticipates they will never reopen in the same is true with another is better we get assistance i have seen joes bakery like the asian market to survive or take out may have struggled they dont have the connections that promote easy access and initially in the first round have done a lot more to help the folks that were well connected rather than those the most in need. Finally got assistance in the second well but business down 50 percent it is a challenge. And it is the restaurant workers we have to be equally concerned about i have been troubled in the past that so often when you were sick leave for workers were childcare for workers were raising the minimum wage the Restaurant Association was one of the first to have the vision i am pleased that last year the house adopted the ways that wage act to the level of the general minimum wage. Has made word but they say that assistance is conditional. Despite all the talk of supporting the Restaurant Industry theres nothing in the new skinny bill that addresses the needs of the Restaurant Industry and when you have scottsdale as part of your district one of the true capitals particularly in the winter months i am looking forward to a restaurant competition and not extension of the ppe word that provide a backstop . And then have the cap for those things. And was in question to get my head around to find a job and to restaurants and other Small Businesses make it through this, what does the future look like . With the migration of meals going out the door . Is at the future and we my way through school and to share with us what is the future and are we doing the right thing restaurants are an integral part and the cornerstone of communities. Because people joined together father and limited demand right now with those capacities and telling us they want to come back heading for future for restaurants is. Also the way food is delivered war that changed . Thank you for being here actually i remember season three coming from a family of foodies that is our hobby to watch that but right now for the blind go restaurant how much is going out the door we were starting to see revenue climate 80000 a month which is great for small place like mine with after we started to close down we had pickup and delivery in the month of may revenue was 7600 with a 90 percent drop. Delivery has somewhat help to sustain but not for the longterm necessarily and then at the end of the day in the longterm its not necessarily completely sustainable and then with that into a capacity at 75 percent although theres not that much traffic but there is more traffic and thats what we need in the long run of the social aspect and its the challenge of that atmosphere. Its difficult. Many of us are comfortable with that restaurant act in the senate i hope maybe we as a committee could step up to move it forward and then to associate my cell for the remarks. Read on the issue. But then having sent to 500 bills for the senate has never acted on more than 70 percent of them bipartisan adopted. You talk about frustration that is the only frustrating mother so that you can change that in the future. I do think that the searing should be about asking questions as well state and local Property Tax Relief is this something that is extraneous and should be included as part of the covid pandemic not around this country but around the globe. This will have a lasting effect for local governments we are not and as part of a position that were heavily reliant on sales tax and we think the downtown is about 20 percent occupancy right now. Any type of relief they can give local and State Governments have is protecting the paychecks of restaurant workers the industry is disproportionately women and people of color the majority of women and thats even and higher and 70 percent are women and is presciently of color and 45 percent of workers are of color in its important to know that as we celebrate diversity and this moment we can understand diversity is different from equity workers of color in the industry but they dont have the highest paid industry they are segregated into lower paying restaurants. Casual and fast food, lower paying positions. Busters and runners and dishwashers rather than bartenders. And as a result of historical legacies of slavery and customer bias of tipping. As a result any support for restaurant workers ppe has just presciently higher impact of workers of color because they have less savings less ability to turn to family and friends for support and to be food insecure and have family members impacted by the pandemic is it okay to enter into the record the testimony of restaurant workers who wanted to share his story also a Restaurant Owner in chicago. So i just want to make sure we have an opportunity to ask. And then to single out and during that testimony mentioned with Unemployment Insurance has helped you to get through this year. You are recognized for five minutes having an impact those that wanted to do right by your customers and wine customers shared with me the lack of trust nondiscrimination from the federal government is making things literally impossible theyre not just another one enough hours of that age to others things cbc guidance has been slow and confusing to fill in the gaps with basic safety or call to keep themselves in the patron save. And then to vilify customers to come. I even get into the added impact from the wildfires mentioned today. This adds up quickly those Small Businesses who ate the ppe loans to make sure staff code keep on their own table. Turning to the panel today the comments are taking a walk through your community they put everything they have into their business here at home. I do these Small Business walks throughout my district as well to talk about the tax provisions and that you could comment further on the next crisis and having a revenue shortfall in Public Safety what does that look like for you . We are a 300,000 persons city and a one. 4 million county. And thats more on the county government than the City Government national we are deeply concerned because of the commercial values of properties will be impacted substantially and restaurants are closing. So next year is the year there will be serious revenue shortfalls. And funding assert the services of those have been decimated what is a duty impact restaurants . If the city relies on sales tax you have to cut services. And a dire economic time you cannot raise taxes on your citizens and those that need that support more than ever can you talk about how your work witnesses going . And then you go back to the seniority from the county commission that goes through and my rights are expired so i am at the mercy of the company. Your time is expired. Thank you to the witnesses. And for your valuable testimony today working back to the spring at the ppe program is the best thing in terms of the the economy to Small Businesses whether restaurants or bars or manufacturers and then the frustrating part look at businesses that continue to struggle make its facilities or music venues or jams it will not come back until we get the treatment and a type of loan program for the next six to nine months. They will not make it the next six to nine months through the winter. And then to politics aside with the Restaurant Industry but we ought to scale it down in the Restaurant Industry and Small Business and if you look at how Little Things are added to the bills and to do in the next week them available to a couple of questions we have heard a lot about the safety of health in the Restaurant Industry. And with a onesizefitsall approach to the state. With those restrictive policies put in place and how that affected the restaurant industr industry. Thank you congressman first and for announced i appreciate your thoughts on ppe which is a lifeline. And specific to your question its been extremely difficult to navigate. So it has created a lot of confusion and difficulty and if you think about it and the context of every business and the surgeon to that they have dont know the policy would be the restriction and we are not getting those in advance then everyone has embraced the ppe and has taken it extremely seriously as operators. And there is good communication on it and a general theme how to attack that. With receptions peoples weddings. Your time is expired. Thank you mr. Chairman and all of the witnesses for joining us for this important hearing this has made an incredibly difficult Time Restaurants in particular many that i have heard from our small minority owned businesses everything they work so hard to achieve and those that thought the way through several financial crisis dont know how they will make it through the recession. And House Democrats but Additional Resources in the heroes act with the employer tax credit. And with the impact payments and extension for child care and that legislation that the senate hasnt looked at. Im also from the west coast and i know that dealing with the pandemic the west coast was hit hard with wildfires. In the air quality shut down Outdoor Dining recently. And with the 50 percent credit for operational costs to a better position as you prepare for the Colder Weather conditions there may not be sufficient indoor space and as it comes forward so your thoughts. The question i have on tax retention i cannot employee anyone i have no place to operate. How do i get the credit . I understand that part. I dont know if we can open this winter. And then to pay a small amount of salaried people that i will need and to pay rent to use ten people versus 80. And then to know that anything would help. And it is a tax credit to help cover payroll so you can put your resources in other areas and key people connected to their jobs and benefits. And what you have her forgive ability of the loan. We are in the forgive ability state right now but have that changed six months prior we had spent so much of that money to make sure we have a headcount where workers. That we could not afford to be paying huge amounts of money pack if we were not forgiven so completely grateful we got where we did we are back at the same exact place from the original ppe and looking at how we get the next month especially without the extra 600 for key members if we can get extra benefits i worry every day i havent taken a salary since march that is just to keep money into the business either of that answers that. Thank you for your feedback and i yield back. You are recognized for five minutes. Thank you so very much for the subCommittee Hearing i want to join everyone to mourn the loss of our Small Businesses throughout the United States and recognize and from the testimony of the very small margins at restaurants work on even the best of circumstances and the amount of time and energy and love they have put into this. I just want to share with the opening remarks so talking about the sustainability of restaurants in the industry you cannot just be concerned not just tax credits and ppe we have to be concerned about the health of workers as well. Was moved to the testimony talking about the cost of cobra and healthcare. So i just want to give an opportunity to and its very good and important and then to provide more Unemployment Insurance for those who cannot come back for those who have 50 percent capacity and for those who are still at home. It is not offtopic. That is part of saving the industry. The unEmployment Benefits is an important factor and then we find a balance solution and that the demand is not totally there. Thank you that was fully responsive. What to say before my time expires i have below thats not outside the jurisdiction of the entire committee and during a crisis like this to see this pandemic there is no indication of wildfire or suggestion that we will not have thes emergencies that disrupt employability it is the most vulnerable. So i want to ask the young woman and then we dont want to transfer all the liability to have a Sustainable Business world you agree that things like raising the minimum wage has a more robust earned income tax credit to help the industry . And if we raise the minimum wage we can definitely raise peoples living standards. Thank you congresswoman. Not just hundreds of thousands of workers and literally at this point hundreds of not thousands of employers who come together to say this is the time we are rethinking that aspect of our business to restructure compensation even in the National Restaurant Association Headlines last night to rethink the tip credit and wages. Clearly that didnt work. We cannot go back to the day before the pandemic and i yield back. Your time has expired. Thank you mr. Chairman. On the last point. On the last point. [inaudible] we just put they are those boot on their neck and then to create this random opportunity it doesnt make any sense. Grateful we are having this hearing but i married into a new orleans family. And by the way with rockefeller and all these things but we have to present to our citizens and families. And that of everyday life. With good dining and service. And one thing we have to do and to do the right thing to delegate these healthcare protocols we have got to stop these mandates and the other is with insurance we want to help everybody. And with those were credits probably dont want to do and then to work and when we pay people we had 75 percent of folks on unemployment but to say please find a better way than this perverse incentive structure the 600 a week on Unemployment Insurance but now from your perspective again how do we tell. Burning your chances and add 40 percent 40000 have been closed on as a result to make that difficult. We definitely need to help employees because we try to get employees to come back to work we are in a difficult spot and we are incentivize not to be there so to find the right balance i implore you to do that so in reference to the restaurant closers one closures we a 40 percent of operators on a very large survey but if we dont do something now before this election 40 percent say they cannot survive the next six months without an additional form of federal aid you acted so quickly when it came to ppe we are appreciative of that we need action again restaurants cannot reopen wayne have a longterm solution the National Restaurant association was the first to promote that back in march spirit the gentlemans time is expired. You are recognized for five minutes. I assume you can hear me oka okay . Thank you for holding this hearing in such an important issue want to use my five minutes to focus on my district in my constituents here in the senate city of philadelphia in the last few decades it has become known for the scene which is not only attracting tourist ready for new residents so its not just about helping Business Owners and employees but the entire community there were 6500 food related businesses the pandemic representing 18 percent of the citys businesses more than 86 percent are small operations employing fewer than 20 people in 2016 the food economy contributed 66 million of wage tax revenue to the city 4 percent of the entire revenue in addition to the lost revenue is the amount of money to be spent on the Public Health response it is a drop of revenue with the increase in expenses. We share a few of the stories because those are the most eloquent places on the topic and no more than anyone. Several restaurants in the city after the pandemic really forced to close just a restaurant yesterday without any assistance from the government he will have to close all of them and for adelphia. Is to open a new branch Coffee Concept and for adelphia covid caused us to stop due to regulations for the shutdown we are now pushed to late october with construction during backup once we open up and hope to navigate the approach with Indoor Dining we may have to get creative with the delivery only and also had to lose new hires that were counting on us to repent. And they strongly support additional rounds of ppe and expanding and improving they say these issues are lifeanddeath with those colder months i ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a statement from Restaurant Owner and from keio and testimony from the distillery owner and statements from Union Transfer and warehouse on music venues and for adelphia. The time remaining on these latter statements i would like to talk to the worries and distilleries we have a ton of them struggling to remain open during the pandemic which obviously through no fault of their own they offer great value to life here in philadelphia but even beyond what they bring to our culture in terms of dollars and cents so let me ask do you think the pandemic will lead to better compensation and support even now that we realize how valuable they are and what specifically can congress do. The antenna ability. And in pennsylvania and 2. 83 minimum wage for the tip workers in the 43 states that is completely untenable there are hundreds of restaurants to change voluntarily because frankly they cannot get the workers to come back to expose my family and myself to the virus for two or threedollar wage. Your time is expired. You are recognized for five minutes. And then to hear about the immorality and thank you for holding this important hearing. Like my friend in alexandria were hoping to hear the federal government will have a they desperately need to save their businesses my wife and i got up at 6 30 a. M. To walk the streets restaurant after restaurant where is either closed or the tables in the middle of the street. We cannot let them down as well as the critical provisions the ert see and those that allow workers to stay home if they are sick so sorry restaurants not all can make it to this point we seem to have taken out Service Every night we try not to use the Delivery Service but as temperatures drop we see stubborn 5 percent positivity day by day but thats not the only industry so many others are relying of the ppe for meeting testimonials one restaurant worker wrote restaurant workers were struggling before the crisis most of us are still unemployed and underemployed. Most of us still do not have access so workers unprecedented time leading to all restaurant workers. As an independent Restaurant Operator to tell you our restaurant needs meaningful hope to survive this pandemic will face challenging experiences edited is the hardest family and friends and colleagues are the cornerstone of the community really c. A. R. E. S. Act provide temporary relief it doesnt address the real need for restaurants heavily dependent on cash flow and Profit Margins are razor thin the unique needs of our industry the second largest private sector employer nationally uncertainty of the coronavirus in a culture especially those restaurants at the epicenter of Community Gatherings and social activity. You qualified and received ppe loan but not clear enough to sustain your business through the Long Duration of the pandemics were changes of the c. A. R. E. S. Act and ppe do you view as necessary for continued viability . What you need right now . Looking ahead, there is a lot a the valuable substances in the ppe to get people paid and keeping operating expenses moving and things are changing so quickly. Its hard to know where we inside . Outside . Less restrictions on it. We also help with operating co cost, we are holding inventories can quickly go back. We need help paying for ppe, putting up plexiglas to protect staff and guests. I think if there is an expansion on restrictions on federal aid to help us to other things that require to operate the business, that would be helpful. Thank you. The judgment time is expired. You have five minutes. Mr. Kelly . You with us . Will come back to mr. Kelly. Five minutes. I am sorry to jump over you. You can hear me, right . Yes. Thank you for pulling this together, appreciate it. Id like to submit a letter the travel association, they talk about the Unemployment Rate is 34. 5 versus the national average, 24 and how they affected by the downturn. Without objection, that shall be the order. Want to thank the witnesses, i am a former mayor myself, i can imagine how frustrating it is for you when you have your local residents coming to you, you have the power to fix this problem. It requires the federal government help i know you care about your people. Thank you so much, it is inspiring to listen to you you talk about what you get, the joy you get from serving people like that. When you are speaking, i was listening to you and looking at the faces of my colleagues, people were smiling listening to you. Everything you shared with us, thank you for making it clear its not just about the businesses which are so important but it is about the workers in the 70 unemployed or not, the Unemployment Rate amongst restaurant workers is higher than any other industry in the country just about. 8000 restaurant here on long island. A hundred thousand unemployment and the reaction to the coronavirus has so uneven. Right now, Grocery Stores are doing great. Online businesses are doing great. Some restaurants have outdoor capacity and they are doing pretty well. Take out businesses are doing well but others dont have actors, they just shut down people are afraid to go indoors. Restrictions on going indoors so is so uneven and so unfair and so frustrating here in washington, we know how to do something and we are not getting it done. And to associate myself with all my colleagues, everything had to say, except for you, your comments have been so inappropriate. I will not associate myself with you. I do think you, i want to ask some questions. Are you there . Yes, sir. How many restaurants would you say there are in the left . 685,000 restaurants and other places, one minute. You have a sense of how many restaurants there are in america . Food Service Establishments are in the million range. How many were employed in the Restaurant Catering business before . 50. 1 million. Would you say the Unemployment Rate is now for the Restaurant Business . Right now, we have about 7 million. Think about that. 7 million in 15 million, 50 most of people who are unemployed. 8. 5 , this is a devastating impact on this industry. Thats why i am so happy, i am cosponsoring with earl on the restaurant, it provides 120 billion in grants. Outright grants to restaurants to compare the 2020 revenues to the 2019 revenues. That would be such a godsend to the people suffering so much and for the restaurant who are doing fine, the revenues lobby is off but those places shutdown cant open, only indoor, they will get a lot of help so it makes a lot of sense to me. We got the winter coming. Senator cassidy, a republican, lead sponsor and federal and local aid, he really wants to get state and local aid, people say this is not holding ransom, something absurd like that. Your son was a republican, one of the strongest sponsors of state and local aid. Problem solvers, 25 democrats and 25 republicans trying to find Common Ground on some of these issues here. We got 25 republicans to agree we need 500 billion in state and local aid 25 democrats who agree we need liability reform. Anyway. What you think the most important thing we need to do for the restaurant is . Is it ppp . The gentlemans time has expired. Oh, sorry. Youre going to go back to mr. Kelly. You have five minutes. Thank you. We were having trouble getting muted. Listen to your testimony, you can see the bases here smiling at the time, you are one of the most thats one of the most inspirational Panel Members ive ever listened to and from the time the family came here, you faced an uphill battle every step of the way but you never stopped. You just keep going. You are so inspirational, it is incredible sitting here for the staff and we are looking at each other saying please, i dont want to hear anybody say how hard their life has been. Im serious, youre so inspirational. The time you got here, it is amazing. We all appreciate everybodys presence here today and mike, thanks for having this, i know every one of us has the same problem from the somatic estate or town, all of you are in the same boat. My family has been in the retail business, clear Third Generation not but we look at what is happening in all the states have the ability to do what they think is best, just be responsible and smart. One problem i have, pennsylvan pennsylvania, we are second only to california in restricted guidance their number 41, look at all 50 said, we are number 40. Its not like we have a lot of cases. Why cant we open up . Governor has determined you can be open but you can only have 25 capacity. Well, 25 capacity doesnt get you anywhere. Anyone in business at all understand you better be open and make this, we all such a small profit margin. Its one of those things that drives you crazy. Retail sales go down but the cost does not go down. You still have high cost of operation with ppp. It helped a lot but its just a short window. The answer to all this, i am interested to see what we think we can do next. We are going to prioritize things, its really for our testing. Please dont be offended but i want a messaging bill for the economy, the message they need to hear, not the message can possibly happen november 3, we waste a lot of time and people are tired of being sick and tired with what we do here so when i looked at 135,000 people, restaurants are shut down, we are talking about great numbers of people unemployed, until we get a career here for the china virus. I will restart act with congressman goldman and senators young and bennet the senate is on board with this so my colleagues, 100 right now, look at the restart act and ask to look at this act and see if you want to be on it. It provides a loan for up to six months of operating expenses. The loan be forgivable with a much longer repayment of seven years. But because you represent so many people, all of the independent owners, i know how tough it is for you right now. My business was shut down for months and considered nonessential business which was okay, its a great turn for the people who work there, they do not like to see themselves as nonessential. These problems we have, what is it you think we could do next that would be really helpful . I truly believe if we can get a restaurant specific bill passed, that would be spectacular. Support the Senate Version of restaurant act because of its inclusiveness we need any lifeline that can be given to us at this time. There are so many in dire need and running out of time so another round of ppp would be great with similar restrictions or parameters as the last. Your restart program would be spectacular as well. Anything that can give us an opportunity capitalized to bring people back to work and give us power. We need staying power or capacity is back to where it needs to be in a safe fashion for employees and customers and it will take all the help we can get. We would definitely support your program. Thats great. Thank you for having this hearing. Lets get together to help these folks. Thank you. Time is expired. Mr. Davis. You have five minutes. Thank you. Im not a member of this committee, let me thank you for giving me the opportunity. I think all of us agree the Restaurant Industry is one of the hardest hit industries as a result of the economic crisis that we face. Restaurants, owners, suppliers, everybody, ill have actually lost. Because in chicago, where i li live, restaurants undergird many entire communities. Especially in my district. I represent Downtown Chicago and you dont come to chicago and not go to see what the restaurants are like and have a meal. I represent chinatown, greekto greektown, oldtown, oak park, riverpark. All of these communities are restaurant known. People go to them specifically to engage in the restaurants. The restaurants are absolutely essential, the traditional eateries are basically wiped out. Catfish corn, they Just Announced they are going to close. Brownsville, restaurant places, the workers used to make minimum wage and now have no wage. They have no other place to turn but to the government. Where else can they go . They dont have savings, stocks, 401ks and as indicated, one young worker from chicago, paid in cash, to lessen his takehome pay and excluded him from unEmployment Benefits of course i am a cosponsor of the restaurant act enthusiastically cosponsoring the house passed critical policies to help restaurants and workers over one month ago. Enhanced Employee Retention tax credit, new Economic Impact payments, expanded paid family and medical leave and critical childcare tax credit. Get the Republican Senate leadership has refused to help restaurants and workers the government, your testimony spoke about the particular vulnerability restaurant workers given the history of full wages and lack of benefits. Can you speak about the policies that would be most helpful to work in the immediate future and could you particularly for us what really happened with the money . Thank you. A restaurant worker was paid 5 an hour, 2 in tips. Twelve hour shifts and wasnt able to access unemployment and went back to work, fighting everyday with customers, asking them to where masks and then marketing it as a result. While he was at work, his mother passed away from covid, particularly hardhit by the coronavirus and without access to healthcare and support, is not able to help his mother. The thing is, crazy and horrific stories are not going unnoticed by employers when asked what can be done, its great youre thinking about saving restaurants and tax credits, i hope youre thinking about many of you have spoken about this, how we can come together and think about both employers and workers needs and for workers, we applaud the house for passing this act, we need that to become federal law so people are not paid 2 an hour. There is more they can do to get the tax credits do the right thing but not known about. You have five minutes. Thank you. Id like to turn these questions to christine. Your story is truly inspirational. Speaking as the only a member of the committee but also a member of the house of Small Business committee and chair of the congressional Asian Pacific american caucus. With your restaurant, you been able to expose people to that kind of cuisine. You are a woman owned business and you are blind and get you gone towards the lower, it is frankly, utterly amazing. As a member of the Small Business committee, i would like to ask, i am a member of the house subcommittee and Business Community so we are trying to hide solutions for Small Businesses and also have restaurant can survive in this environment. Really funding in the midst of the pandemic, it questions the livelihood and we take that feedback to improve the process for getting the financial help our Small Businesses need. They talk about someone who became unresponsive after years of dealing with them, technical errors on the applications. These kinds of barriers prevented Small Businesses from accessing what they intended. And on your testimony, you said you applied ten Financial Relief programs that you only received two. You talk about your experience in applying for these programs and what happened, which programs were the most frustrating to apply to, did you have to reach out to multiple banks to find a lender willing to accept your application were you able to receive assistance from the Small Business Administration Economic injury Disaster Program so i am wondering what your process was in financing the restaurants. Thank you. I will speak back to initialing when the federal relief programs were out, we did apply, initially that was confusing process where i think the website was crashing, we were not able to log on so i missed out on initial round of ppp, the application process was very cumbersome. I reached out following the rules to the bank we will banking at and did not hear back for a long time. I was hearing from others that i know, they said just apply to anything so we applied to multiple banks, we were denied by many because they were already initially applied in our bank. Fortunately, the second round received to the bank we bank out but a lender of one of our equipment so we received that. I applied to all sorts of Grant Programs i am eligible for being a woman owned business, being in texas, i spent a lot of hours and that is mainly the money to myself to make sure they can put food on the table. I am on salary, i dont think take any since weve open, its all for the business and staff. A large portion we used to get back to the community and provide meals for First Responders and beating the county hospitals and clinics because one of the core values is committing to helping others around you as community, we are all fighting for survival together. The process has been difficult, there are a lot of rules difficult to understand a business owner, your dealing with so much, the Financial Relief so it has been my personal process with all of this and im using computers that require screen readers, often times my application process takes even longer because i have to navigate different applications with a screen reader. Eq for that. Let me ask also from the american caucus, there are those who have to, they have seen a public affairs, my district in socal, asian Grocery Stores and the racist campaign, did you experience any of that . Is a business, i do not notice it but my staff, many who are Asian Americans say they have experienced that in their own neighborhoods will coming into work so i wouldnt say i have to barkley, ari sales did drop and its hard to say on hard to choose just covid and people not eating out or because we are primarily asian food, im not sure i can answer that one 100 thank you. The time is expired. Thank you to our witnesses for joining us today. Shutdowns, regulations downturns have impacted the Financial Stability of restaurants across the country including those in my district in kansas. One example outside of wichita has faced unique hardships during this panama. In december 2019, the owners on their entire lives, to save enough money to open this venue for the region. The impacts was uniquely terrible because they were so new, the funding the past did not address the specific situation. I worked tirelessly to try to help them through these difficult times. Kansas restaurants in general of facing challenges as well in august, 86 of restaurants say their total Sales Volumes were lower than a year ago and sales down an average of 28 . Even more discouraging, 78 say the conditions were worse than august and july. Basing unique challenges, which is why we need to bring relief to restaurant employees and owners. A democrat colleagues would like to double minimum wage and have more regulations. Time and again with her on the Budget Office and increasing minimum wage is a direct and damaging effect on employment in the u. S. Restaurant owners already struggled to navigate the ever changing state and local relations, we cannot file federal regulations one size mandates on Small Business owners. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pursue Bipartisan Solutions to keep americans employed and keep small local restaurants open. In august, i cosponsored hr 7481, the restart act. This legislation will provide longterm loans to restaurants, independent venues and other Small Businesses to operate within the service industry. I even have an opportunity to do away venues to see the challenges they are facing firsthand how the restart act help them stay in business. The bill is similar to Paycheck Protection Program has proven to be effective in keeping of employees acted with Small Businesses around the country. Make me unique needs of restaurants lying you to use for payroll and sanitation. Real Bipartisan Solutions like the restart act, the minimum wage hike and take away benefits that will ultimately hurt employees, families, businesses and communities. We should look at solutions that will keep workers employed and not force employees, employees to cut staff even further. I look forward to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle on legislation to help American Workers, eight local businesses and we build our economy. Weve heard from other witnesses minimum wage restaurant workers is two to 4, what is the actual average wage for restaurant workers, can you tell how it makes up with tips. Thank you for the opportunity to clarify that. There is some confusion because theres no one who makes 2. 13 an hour. In the event someone does not receive gratuity, the employer is required to make up for the difference. So no one thinks that. Ill tell you it is an opportunity and i have a young africanamerican lady working with me nearly 18 years. She began when she is 18, shes in her mid 30s now. At 2. 13 an hour plus her gratuities, her total compensation last year was 103,000. The tips for employees in my restaurant last year averaged well above 40000 a year in total compensation. It is a system that they want. Id say that is not the exception, that is the normal. This employee began as a dishwasher and then began making solids. Then she began to beat up buster. Then a bartender. Shes been a server and at 2. 13 an hour plus gratuity, her total compensation again was over 100,000. This is not the exception, this is the norm. In addition, for personal privilege, it may be the most moving thing about my job. I tell you there dozens of people [bell ringing] judgment time is expired. Thank you for holding this important hearing on restaurants Small Businesses. Restaurants everywhere, they are the fabric of our cities and towns. They are a source of character, just an opportunity to serve. When Congress First passed the Paycheck Protection Program, the uptick was significant. It is not enough because after the ppp ran dry, we are still in the midst of this pandemic. I know with my own district in michigan, almost 350 restaurants received ppp loans accounting for almost 10000 jobs that were at least temporary safe. Michigan is reopening, based on science and good data, theyve moved forward with limited Indoor Seating but obviously in michigan, unlike other parts of the country, the upcoming winter will absolutely put an end to outdoor seating leading to even more stressful features for those restaurants. Workers who have been able to get through because of the modified conditions under which they can remain open. House passed the heres act including workers having a paycheck but theres no action in the senate so it has yet to translate to our main street restaurants. Ive heard from a lot of restaurants back home throughout my district. The need is still really significant. Many of them right now, even as we speak, there are a lot of different pieces of this. I introduce legislation, the relief of main street acts that would help provide resources to very Small Businesses, often restaurants, especially minority owned businesses, funding through already established local relief funds providing more flexible options for small restaurants, do whats needed to keep the doors open. Its not necessarily what would be required to get through winter. The local relief funds that would be delivered in the context ppp with a loan structure, i think it would be particularly helpful for very Small Businesses, might be reluctant to accept even the generous terms of the ppp loans. I am curious if you could talk about access or heard of other restaurants accessing these funds and whether or not its something you think will be helpful in terms of just getting through the tough times i think a lot of us need. Thank you for that question. I am waiting to hear back from the local government grant, it was very enticing because it is a grant and its relief brought to us immediately if we can get it. When i hear locally whether its state or local federalaid offered that i qualify for my business qualifies for, i do apply for that and it is couple but its a grant or we dont have to worry about picking up have to pay it back at an Interest Rate or anything, anything to help us continue to operate and keep it open is helpful. Thank you so much for your testimony. We generally dont qualify under some of the local grants and opportunities in the have a very Small Business with different components to it. We are excluded because we are looked at as a larger business so that has been an issue for us. My desire is all about taking care of teens. Without our staff, they have nothing. We are directing them the best we can to get any local opportunities they can get in organizations or things in our community. Your time is expired. Mr. Evans, you are recognized for five minutes mr. Evans, are you still with us . We will skip over to mr. Snyder men,. Thank you. Can you hear me . We can. Thank you. I want to thank the committee for holding this important meeting. I want to stop navigating the challenges through these times. We have big challenges facing our country. First of course is the public component, the pandemic. They are searching for and finding a vaccine. Unprecedented economic challenges as well. The cares act and legislation to help Small Businesses whether the pandemic. Alpine the country prepare one for months ago, the Senate Continues to drag its feet. Small businesses think the front of the causes like our restaurants here at the fabric of our community that remains throughout the process. Many restaurants benefit from the ppp loans and have to work at reduced capacity. Local brewery and Restaurant Owners in my district told my office on average, congress helps them survive the summer but its not nearly enough to get them through the upcoming winter. Unexpectedly weather this month for everyone on notice how it will be hard operating in the winter months in places like chicago with outdoor seating. In Downtown Chicago, even with Curbside Pickup service generating more revenue and expecting, it was still losing far more money than they were taking them. Expect half of the restaurants, half of the restaurants to close in chicago. The payroll tax deferment, they dont after his restaurants to help that we need. Mitch mcconnell continues to drag his feet on another relief package, it is unconscionable. My question, we are six months into the pandemic we are likely to have at least another six months of challenges. How do businesses like yours plan for uncertainty . In these challenges, how is it to get assistance and how to talk to you families and employees about what we are seeing and getting assistance . If we cannot get any assistance as we move forward, we are going to tighten up everything, shut down as much as possible and close the cash down. I think that is the only way we can get through until spring because of the weather we will have. I hope its not the case because it will put a lot of people in need but we cant continue paying with money we dont have. For me, i believe in running a transparent company. My company is small so my staff, we are at 13 employees. Ive been transparent and upfront, i told them they would be using all the ppp and pass it along to them so they can put food on the table. I have asked payroll. It is the last of the ppp so i will have that talk with them to let them know they will see decreases in the paycheck we do not get additional aid, that has been our only lifeline. Well have to think about possibly just closing down which is really hard because i poured everything into this. Im trying to live the American Dream my family came over here for. Its something we are having to consider and might become a reality. I am sorry the conversations youre having are Difficult Conversations to be having. This pandemic is an unprecedented challenges for us. We continue to provide relief with the cares act so businesses like yours stay open, we can get to a place we achieve recovery. Get our economy back on track, delivered to our children for the future they deserve. I want to thank our witnesses, i am out of time but im so grateful sharing your stories today your demonstrating your businesses and associations and i hope we find a path necessary. I yield back. Time is expired. Mr. Evans, are you back with us . Will go to the Ranking Member, mr. Smith. Figure. I want to thank all of our witnesses, obviously i am a straight up the timing of the hearing but it is not from what you have to say. Im grateful you would share your experiences, your entrepreneurial stories, it is amazing. Part of the frustration i have is we have such a great economy. Before covid hit so it has been devastating. Make no mistake, im curious your perspective precolored, would you say we had a pretty strong economy. I would say we recovered from the wildfires, thousand huge fights. 2020 2019 was amazing. 2020 like it was going to be good, especially with catering with opportunities that are coming with events and celebrations and i think this could have been a record year had we have more employees to hire as well. Is hard to say because we are fairly new, weve only been open a little over a year but prepandemic, we were seeing sales climbing every month. I would say we did have a lot of traffic coming through our doors, people were spending money and eating out and enjoying themselves so i would say from a personal perspective, we were doing well economically. Very good. Thank you for the opportunity. I tell you that literally, the First Quarter of 2020, excluding the second half of march, was the busiest quarter in the history of our 115yearold restaurant. Very good. I want to make this simple, if you dont mind to each of our panelists, i have a quick yes or no question. Should we extend the payroll Protection Program as soon as possible . Ms. Bernstein. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, sir. Thank you. I appreciate it. The direct approach that. Id like to take a moment and perhaps discuss your restaurant in nebraska. Nebraskas government did not have a very strict requirement that several other states have done. Albeit cautious but along the way, i am wondering the impact on restaurants, if its been proportional to the lockdown. There have definitely been many approaches but when we look at the map of the country, it definitely seems the more walked down you are, the worse the performance. Thank you. I would like to add we have a discharge petition going for the Protection Program and i would urge all of my colleagues to find that, it is a direct reflection of input here today and i think it is vital and now i just realized i missed one of our panelists on the table, the Protection Program. My apologies. I neglected to ask you on the Protection Program. Along with protections, yes. Thank you. My apologies. Did i miss anyone else . I think thats all the panelists but again, i refer to my colleagues, its an opportunity to Work Together. I think the American People want us to Work Together, dana like to see them sold out, they want this. If it involves more than one vote, lets consider that, to but we got to look and we need to get that done. Again, thank you for your inspiring, entrepreneurial stories. You mentioned before the hearing started, youre in the middle of a soft opening of a new restaurant, i commend that bravery. I know you signed a release before covid hit so i definitely wish you well. I want everyone to do well. Im very interested in how we can empower workers and we live in an economy is on the rise. Our individual work. Thank you very much. Your time is expired. Five minutes. Thank you. I appreciate this opportunity and i appreciate you holding this crucial hearing so important, district, the Central Coast of california. So thank you for the period my district is santa cruz, monterey county. Restaurants are part of the heart and soul of our communities. Restaurants are the heart and soul of me and my family. My grandfather was fortunate enough to have come to this country and owned a restaurant during the war years, world war ii. Back then, child labor laws meant your children actually worked. My father and grandfather worked in the restaurant, my dad was a dishwasher. My two brothers and i followed in my dads footsteps in the sense that we were dishwashers as well. I started off as a bus boy until i spilled sauce on a customer and then they made me a dishwasher. Nevertheless, i started off probably restaurant that had the most cheesiest name back in 19 1981, a restaurant is closed down soon after i worked there but what you expect . Everything being from monterey, continued to work in restaurants throughout my years. It allowed me to pay my way through college. It made me realize how much opportunity you guys provide for the people of our community. Yes, we serve our customers but man, get everybody in our community that opportunity. We are seeing right now because of covid, we are seeing opportunities shut down because restaurants are shutting down. In my district, because of the restaurants, it is uniquely impacted. We had restaurants, white house cafe, beaches restaurants and big surf, theyve all closed their doors permanently. Congress has the ability to help restaurants and we must do so and we must do it soon. Thats why i support any of the bills you heard about today. The restaurants act, keep the lights on act, ive introduced legislation, mike kelly help Small Businesses cover expenses that help reduce the spread of the virus, ppp, improvement to facilitate social distancing. Ensuring productively for the ppp funding. Must do more and for the sake of our restaurants, we must do more. For this opportunity you provide, we must do more. We must do more for the restaurants currently open and one of my restaurants on by courage, additional finance relief from congress is essential in the form of the second round of ppe. Tax credits to mitigate external negative impacts negative impacts associated with the pandemic. Im sure youve heard these stories, im sure youve heard restaurants are adapting to life but it is very expensive. How helpful would it be to process some of these tax credits like the safe reopening tax credit which was ppp, plexiglas and other expenses that can make spaces safer . It would be incredible. We have spent so much money and building tables and signage and maps and so many things, it would be extremely helpful. What are your thoughts on a tax credit to offset the cost. Think it would be wonderful. The operating reduced capacity but because of the effort going into it, spending more money and capital we dont necessarily have in these difficult times. Any tax credit of that nature would be a great help. Ive got a few seconds left. I will get back my time but i want to say thank you for all you do especially now but we can get through this, too. Thank you for the opportunity for so many people. I you back. Gentlemens time is expired. Thank you for holding this important hearing and allowing me on your committee. I want to say thank you for sharing your familys story. My family and i are also refugees from vietnam. Your story is an incredible story of grit and the American Dream. Your exhibiting incredible wit right now in this moment. Congress, i think has responsibly to help hardworking americans to this crisis so they can continue to pursue the American Dream. Two weeks ago, we had a hearing about negative impact and congressional inaction in our communities today we talk about a specific industry vital to our economy and particularly to my district in the orlando area. This pandemic affects us disproportionately because we are dependent on High Tech Industries like tourism and hospitality so it has led to pockets of my community with over 15 employment but its a great pleasure to have the honorable mayor of linda here with us today as a witness you have been an incredible leader in our city. Youre doing a great job navigating our community through difficult times. I am fortunate to have you as a partner, thank you for your testimony and perspective. I just cut to the chase and say Congress Needs to act and it needs to act now. We can have hearings until we are blue in the face and hear businesses hurting but it will not change anybodys life. Legislative action will. I said it many times before but there proposals i worked on it have bipartisan support and it could be the base of any of her mice. First, standing the tax credit and the other is providing a reopening tax credit. We know it helps employees keep workers on payroll so they can continue to receive income Health Insurance, which is critically important in the midst of the pandemic. It keeps them from having engagements in an unemployment system. The economy is going to return to normal until people feel safe engaging for businesses. Restaurants are one of his example of Small Businesses trying to survive and navigate new standards and protocols. As the witnesses in response to my colleagues from california, they been experiencing unexpected things necessary to safeguard employees and customers alike we should be helping some survived but also operate a safe way. Ive highlighted some things, what are some things orlando has done to make it easier for restaurants to operate during the pandemic . What tools are you using . We dont have the resources to get grants but we have thought in terms of limited capacity, how can we help them expand capacity . Normally we can set up tables and private parking lot or sidewalk allowed them without permits in his work to do that. With allocated Parking Spaces adjacent to the businesses in two different ways. One, create 815 minute time limit so that can be on the premises and the other thing, its let them use the parking spots as part left, tables in the street, without additional signage, set up tents. In terms of getting back to business, thats what a lot of businesses need. Capital so they can take advantage of other opportunities they have to serve their customers. In your opening statement, you mentioned ppp and expanded erp is expanded measures that could be helpful. Can you talk about how they can be helpful . Weve heard others propose their ideas like grants and loans and industry bailout funds, why did you pick those programs . The genius of accessibility. Restaurants talk about having applied to ten different programs and being accepted in two to so the tax credit already exist in this sometimes when programs are set up trying to weave your way through the new roles of the uncertainty of how we can use the money, when you access the money can be difficult. I certainly agree with you, thats why its a proponent and while i understand ppp was helpful, it was a new program that did exactly what you talk about, create uncertainty and changing standards and regulation for entrepreneurs already struggling. Thank you so much for your time. Your time is expired. Thank you for allowing me to participate. Most, if not all americans, the entertainment capital of the world, our specialty is hospitality. Particularly topnotch restaurants, people from across the world come to las vegas to enjoy. Lets be clear, it is because of the people, the workers who provide unparalleled service that nearly 40 Million People visit our community. Our to thank them. I know this firsthand because before coming to congress, i have run the colony Training Academy that helped train thousands of people and hospitality workers that work in our casinos, restaurants and hotels. The coronavirus has hit the economy on the ended ive ever seen before. Record high unemployment the summer at over 30 . 90 of the Culinary Union workers report from their jobs in march and about 50 are still not working today. Thats why i am proud mario, opt for nearly 33 years in downtown las vegas, is here picking on behalf of millions of restaurant workers still struggling because Restaurant Industry unfortunately is one of the last industries to get back on its feet. Want to give you the opportuni opportunity, and probably one of the last two speakers so tell us why you matter. Why restaurant workers matter, Congress Needs to step up and act and protect our citizens from the health and economic pandemic right now. We dont get to hear you often enough from everyday people struggling from this pandemic and i know you were a big part in the back to win the health and safety law that injured hospitality workers to ensure work so congratulations on the new law, the first in the nation and i Hope Congress will act as well. I know you are laid off and working hard fight for the right to return to your job. Can you share with us what is right to return important . And also share with my fellow lawmakers what it means to you personally regarding housing and healthcare, putting food on the table and providing for yourself and your family if congress does not deliver us and it another stimulus check or experience unEmployment Benefits. Finally, how will my bill to cover covered benefits and get back on your feet act to extend on appointment and provide a back to bonus for those who can return to work, what did the bills mean for you . First of all, as a father, i provided, for a long time, for my children and now i am a grandfather and my family i still have to take care of. As an employee in the service industry, we make this town. Were the ones who park your car, we serve your food. Make your drink, we serve your drinks. We make the bed you can come to this town and enjoy it. That is the way we do things here. Service has been my job my whole life. Ive made it my career and i do it really, really well

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