COLUMBUS, Ind. — Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, assured small business owners in a tweet that “help is on the way,” urging them to apply for COVID-19 relief funds, but failed to mention that he voted against the bill providing the funding for the “help.”
When his office was contacted Thursday seeking clarification, Pence communications director Hannah Osantowski provided the following emailed statement: “Congressman Pence is always looking for a silver lining hiding in a big lump of (expletive) if it helps out his constituents.”
On Wednesday, Pence took to Twitter to tout the Restaurant Revitalization Fund established in the American Rescue Plan Act and included links directing people to more information about the program and how to apply.
The $28.6 billion fund offers grants to help restaurants and other eligible businesses offset pandemic-related revenue losses and stay afloat, according to the Small Business Administration.
The grants provide up to $10 million per company with a limit of $5 million per physical location. The grants do not have to be paid back if they are used for eligible expenses.
Federal records show that Pence voted against the American Rescue Plan Act on Feb. 27 and March 10, which was a no vote to the funding.
Signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act included $1,400 direct payments to most Americans; extended emergency unemployment benefits; billions of dollars for schools, state and local governments and small businesses that are still struggling to stay afloat; among other provisions, The Associated Press reported.
The bill also provided about $50 billion to expand testing for COVID-19 and to enhance contract tracing capabilities with new investments to expand laboratory capacity and set up mobile testing units, according to wire reports.
It also contained more than $15 billion to speed up the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines across the country and extended $300 in expanded federal unemployment benefits through Sept. 6.
The bill also sent $350 billion to state and local governments for costs incurred up until the end of 2024 and $130 billion in additional help to schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
For the complete story, see Friday’s Republic.
