U.S. Rep. Tom Reed. AP photo

Rep. Tom Reed wants the federal government to help restaurants as they continue to recover from the loss of business during COVID-19.

During a conference call Wednesday with media from the 23rd Congressional District, including The Post-Journal and OBSERVER, Reed noted that he supports the proposed Restaurant Revitalization Fund. If approved, affected restaurants would receive $60 billion.

“This is the fund under COVID relief fund that goes directly to our restaurants that are still struggling to get back on their feet to a large degree,” he said. Some of the bigger issues restaurants are still dealing with include hiring staff and being affected through supply chain shortages.

The Corning Republican said he would like to have the money be made available to restaurants that were ineligible for previous relief packages or were not aware and didn’t apply for funds before. He said this package is backed by both Republicans and Democrats, with more than 300 representatives in Congress signing a letter for support.

“We just want to send a message to our restaurant owners and the workers in our restaurant industry that we hear your pain, that we hear your struggles as we go through this closing chapter of COVID,” he said.

Reed noted that Congress and the administration are working on a much larger COVID relief package, which the Restaurant Revitalization Fund would be a part of. He imagines funds for things like testing and personal protective equipment would be part of the package as well.

“The whole package is going to include other items than just restaurants,” he said.

Reed expects that, if approved, eligible restaurant owners would be required to show how their business was hurt by the pandemic.

“That program has already been established under the prior COVID relief package,” he added.

Reed was unable to give a timeline of when such a package would be finalized. “I wish I had a crystal ball that would guarantee you a time frame that would say this is when this would get done by, but that can’t be done at this point in time,” he said.