Schumer Stumps for Restaurant Relief at Dirt Candy on Allen Street

Senator Chuck Schumer sure loves the Lower East Side as backdrop for pushing his restaurant relief legislation on Capitol Hill.

On Sunday afternoon, the Senate Majority Leader stumped at vegan eatery Dirt Candy on Allen Street, where he said 92-percent of city restaurants could not afford December rent and that many likely won’t survive another six months without federal relief.

“As the majority leader, I have the ability to determine what goes on the floor of the Senate, and the first bill I put on was the Restaurants Act,” Schumer said.

Under the current bill, $25 billion would be available as grants over a six-month period for restaurants to compensate employees, pay rent or insurance, or buy personal protective equipment.

“Our restaurants are in trouble. Thousands more will close if we don’t get them aid,” Schumer said. “People have not been going to restaurants. [Eateries] have ongoing expenses. They have leases. They have rent. They have insurance.

Dirt Candy owner and chef Amanda Cohen said her business needs all the help it can get.

“I used to have 35 employees. I currently have six. I will not survive without more aid,” Cohen told the New York Post. “We’re dealing with huge amounts of lost income, loss of business,” Cohen said. “The weather has not been very helpful in the last couple of months.”