The National Restaurant Association (NRA) voiced support for legislation to increase the business meal tax deduction, which the NRA deems very important to the restaurant industry.

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) is now the lead co-sponsor of H.R. 3333, a bill to increase the current 50 percent federal tax deduction for business meals to 80 percent. The bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) and Sam Farr (D-Calif.), would restore fairness in the tax code for legitimate business deductions and help local restaurants and small businesses keep jobs and promote economic growth, according to the NRA.

"Restoring this deduction is important to small and independent businesses as well as the foodservice, travel, tourism and entertainment industries," said Scott DeFife, executive vice president of policy and government affairs for the NRA, in a statement. "We are grateful for Rep. Berkley's leadership on this issue."

For more information, visit www.restaurant.org/advocacy.