Republican lawmakers host roundtable with Chippewa Valley restaurant owners

LAKE HALLIE, Wis. (WEAU) - Republican lawmakers took aim at President Biden’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which is part of the American Rescue Plan Act.

The roundtable at Lake Hallie Golf Club featured lawmakers and restaurant owners. Republicans say the plan offers challenges, due to continuing expanded unemployment benefits.

Congressman Tom Tiffany says this makes the government “the competition” in terms of businesses being able to pay their staffs.

“I’m really hoping that this ends. We heard in there the Restaurant Revitalization Fund at the federal level is already out of money. Federal government programs are not going to solve this. The free enterprise system will. That’s why the stimulus payments need to stop and we need to get things back to normal,” said Tiffany.

WEAU did reach out to Congressman Ron Kind’s office, but were unable to get a reaction to Tiffany’s comment. Rep. Kind was in Eau Claire earlier this month to discuss the fund.

On Monday, Rep. Tiffany was joined by Derrick Van Orden and State Representatives Jesse James, Rob Summerfield, and Warren Petryk for the roundtable discussion.