The House passed a $55 billion package of aid to restaurants and other pandemic-ravaged industries following months of stops and starts, sending it to the Senate for negotiations with a rival bipartisan package that takes a different approach.
The nearly party-line vote Thursday was 223-203, with six Republicans crossing the aisle to back the bill and four Democratic “no” votes. Seven Republicans who had cosponsored an earlier version of the bill dropped off after the revised version was released and did not end up voting for the bill.
The House legislation would provide $42 billion to replenish a fund for struggling restaurants, food trucks, bars, caterers, brewpubs, bakeries and more after the money ran dry quickly last year. The measure would tack on another $13 billion for small businesses that suffered revenue losses of at least 40 percent during the pandemic, without regard to what industries they operate in, with grants capped at $1 million each.
