Restaurant Group Seeks Special Fund From Congress

BOSTON (CBS) – Restaurant owners are calling on Congress to help save their industry.

The Independent Restaurant Coalition says 60% of the jobs lost in March came from the food and beverage industry. Members of that group, including celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern say the payment protection program doesn't work for them because it is designed to cover the checks of employees who are still working, and restaurant workers can't do that.

"An eight-week band-aid doesn't match the 12- to 18-month job it's going take for restaurants to rebuild, rejoin our communities and keep over 11 million people employed in our industry," Zimmern said.

The group is calling on Congress to create a $120 billion fund specifically for restaurants.