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119-hr-5168119th CongressWALLET

Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act

Sponsored By: Representative Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]

In Committee

Summary

Puerto Rico's transition to SNAP would move the island out of its current consolidated nutrition block grant and into the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program under a defined planning and transition timeline.

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  • Families in Puerto Rico would be treated as a State for SNAP purposes, making households eligible under SNAP rules instead of the existing block grant framework.
  • A designated Puerto Rican entity must file a transition plan within 180 days, with the Department of Agriculture providing technical assistance. Puerto Rico may continue to receive the consolidated block grant for up to five years while it completes the switch.
  • American Samoa gets a new post-transition funding rule that directs 0.4 percent of an aggregate amount each year to it and allocates 100 percent of those funds to cover its specified nutrition program costs.
  • The Agriculture Secretary must review the plan within 180 days and, if approved, certify to Congress within 90 days that Puerto Rico qualifies to participate in SNAP as a State.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Guaranteed nutrition funding for American Samoa

If enacted, for each fiscal year after Puerto Rico's transition ends, the Secretary would use 100 percent of the specified funds to pay American Samoa's full expenditures for its covered nutrition program. Subject to available appropriations, American Samoa would also receive an extra amount equal to 0.4 percent of a specified aggregate base, adjusted as the law describes and further adjusted by the change in the Thrifty Food Plan between two June 30 dates.

Puerto Rico added to SNAP States

If enacted, the bill would add Puerto Rico into multiple SNAP definitions so Puerto Rican households could be treated like a State for SNAP rules. This change would take effect on the date that is 10 years after enactment unless another provision says otherwise. Households in Puerto Rico would therefore become eligible to be treated under State SNAP rules after that delayed effective date.

Major SNAP changes delayed 10 years

If enacted, the bill would be effective on enactment, but the main amendments that change SNAP rules for Puerto Rico would not take effect until 10 years after enactment. That delay would defer the coverage and treatment changes that Puerto Rican households would otherwise get under those amendments.

Puerto Rico SNAP plan and transition

If enacted, Puerto Rico would need to name a transitioning agency and submit a plan to join SNAP within 180 days of that designation. The Agriculture Secretary would provide technical help during those 180 days, and must approve or disapprove the plan within 180 days of receipt. If the plan is disapproved the Secretary would list unmet requirements within 30 days, and if approved the Secretary would certify to Congress within 90 days that Puerto Rico qualifies. The Secretary would also be allowed to continue Puerto Rico's current consolidated block grant for up to five years after the bill's SNAP amendments take effect, and must report to Congress each year the plan continues.

Funding authorized for Puerto Rico transition

If enacted, the bill would authorize such sums as may be necessary to carry out the Act until the end of Puerto Rico's transition period described in the bill. This authorization would let agencies and Congress provide money needed to implement the transition to SNAP, but it does not itself appropriate a specific dollar amount.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]

PR • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

  • Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

  • Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 10/1/2026

  • Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 10/9/2026

  • Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 9/8/2025

  • Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 9/30/2025

  • Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 10/8/2025

  • Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 10/8/2025

  • Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 10/8/2025

  • Rep. Gonzales, Tony [R-TX-23]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 10/8/2025

  • Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 10/17/2025

  • Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large]

    GU • R

    Sponsored 10/17/2025

  • Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 12/15/2025

  • Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 12/18/2025

  • Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 12/18/2025

  • Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 12/19/2025

  • Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 12/19/2025

  • Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large]

    DE • D

    Sponsored 1/14/2026

  • Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 1/14/2026

  • Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 1/20/2026

  • Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 2/2/2026

  • Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/2/2026

  • Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]

    ME • D

    Sponsored 2/9/2026

  • Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 2/10/2026

  • Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 2/20/2026

  • Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 2/23/2026

  • Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 2/23/2026

  • Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 2/24/2026

  • Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2026

  • Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 3/24/2026

  • Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 4/16/2026

  • Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 4/27/2026

  • Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 4/28/2026

  • Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Del. King-Hinds, Kimberlyn [R-MP-At Large]

    MP • R

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2026

  • Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 5/15/2026

  • Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/15/2026

  • Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 5/15/2026

  • Rep. Menefee, Christian D. [D-TX-18]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 5/19/2026

  • Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2026

  • Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]

    KS • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2026

  • Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2026

  • Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 5/20/2026

  • Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 5/29/2026

  • Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 5/29/2026

  • Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2026

  • Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2026

  • Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2026

  • Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2026

  • Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/9/2026

  • Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 6/9/2026

  • Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/9/2026

  • Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]

    AL • D

    Sponsored 6/9/2026

  • Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]

    MO • D

    Sponsored 6/22/2026

  • Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2026

  • Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2026

  • Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 6/30/2026

  • Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 6/30/2026

  • Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2026

  • Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/21/2026

  • Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 7/21/2026

  • Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/13/2026

  • Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 8/13/2026

  • Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 9/1/2026

  • Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-33]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2026

  • Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2026

  • Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2026

  • Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2026

  • Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2026

  • Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2026

  • Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2026

  • Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large]

    AS • R

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

  • Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 9/14/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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