By El Nuevo Día - Washington D. C. - The U.S. House Appropriations Committee Federal House of Representatives Appropriations Committee has recommended granting Puerto Rico $2.07 billion in Nutrition Assistance Program (PAN) funds during the next federal fiscal year, another area where parity with the states is not on track.
This is the same amount in funding proposed by the president Joe Biden to Congress and about $32 million more than the amount appropriated for this federal fiscal year ending September 30.
However, President Biden suggested to Congress in his budget blueprint to support parity for Puerto Rico and the other territories in MedicaidThe budget also includes the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
But, it left the matter in the hands of Congress, as it maintained basically the same PAN allocation, which in Puerto Rico benefits 1.4 million people.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee's Health subcommittee on Thursday approved a bill that would provide Puerto Rico's health care system with about $15 billion in Medicaid funding over the next three years, about $3 billion annually.
These funds are basically the same as those that have been allocated to the island during the past two years.
The resident commissioner in Washington, Jenniffer Gonzalezsaid that with respect to food assistance, the Appropriations Committee incorporated language requesting the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service to develop a plan that includes the estimated cost of including Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa in SNAP. U.S. Department of Agriculture a plan that includes the estimated cost of including Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa in SNAP.
Gonzalez said he sent a letter together with Northern Mariana Islands Democratic Delegate Gregorio Sablan demanding this language.
Commissioner González also pointed out that the Appropriations Committee allocated $850,000 to the International Institute of Tropical Forestry to replace the roof of the Sabana River recreational area.
In addition, $48,855 was allocated for the maintenance of the Yokahú Tower and $47,000 for the restoration of the Historic Stonework in the El Yunque National Forest. El Yunque National Forest.
With respect to SSI, the Biden administration has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in the Vaello Madero case that it is up to Congress to decide whether it should apply to Puerto Rico and all territories.
In March, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the petition for certiorari filed by the Donald Trump administration challenging the decision of the federal First Circuit Court of Appeals that found it unconstitutional to deny SSI to island residents.