Momentum is building on Capitol Hill for more coronavirus relief funding to support restaurants and other businesses struggling to stay afloat in the face of the latest wave of the pandemic fueled by the omicron variant, The Hill reported. Lawmakers involved in negotiations say that support has been building among members for legislation aimed at supporting businesses that have been disproportionately hit by the pandemic. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and a leader in discussions on the matter, expressed optimism Thursday when discussing he and Sen. Roger Wicker’s (R-Miss.) efforts to gain more backing for the push among their colleagues. Cardin said the primary focus in talks has been to replenish relief funding for restaurants after a previous batch of funds allocated by Congress ran out months back. The funding would come at a crucial time, advocates say, as restaurants continue to grapple with the economic effects of the ongoing pandemic, particularly as staffing shortages persist in parts of the nation and inflation tacks onto food costs.
