Yesterday, the U.S. Senate voted 52-43 for closure on the Small Business COVID Relief Act of 2022 (S.4008). Unfortunately, the bill was being filibustered and therefore needed 60 votes to begin debate on the floor for a vote on passage. S.4008 reallocated $5 billion from previously appropriated COVID funds however, the funding for the remaining $43 billion was a major source of contention,. Democrats saw the bill with a total price-tag of $48 billion as COVID emergency finding, while republicans wanted previously allocated funds redirected so as not to further contribute to rising inflation.  $40 billion of the total cost was to be earmarked for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, with the remaining $8 billion allocated for other affected industries. The bill boasted bipartisan support however in the end, only five republicans (Blount–MO, Cassidy-LA, Collins-ME, Murkowski-AK and Wicker-MS) voted to advance the bill to debate and a final vote while all democrats present supported the legislation. In the wake of yesterday’s vote, the bill is now dead for the balance of this Congressional session.