Democrats Request Additional $1B for Puerto Rico’s Food Assistance Program

Puerto Rican Rep. Nydia Velázquez advocated for robust funding for the program to help the island recover from natural disasters and the pandemic.

Puerto Rican Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) asked for an additional allocation of $1 billion for the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) for Puerto Rico in the final version for the current federal budget.

Velázquez and Gillibrand were joined by 13 other Democratic Congress members in sending a letter to the Appropriations Committee leaders stating that after the 2017 hurricanes and the pandemic, Puerto Rico has still not fully recovered.

The petition is to include $1 billion in the final FY22 allocations package, which must be approved in March.

“We must do everything possible to ensure funds for nutritional assistance on the island are robust and sufficient to meet the urgent and sweeping need. We cannot turn our backs on those in need,” Velázquez said, according to El Nuevo Día.

Among the Democratic officials that support this initiative are Sens. Bernie Sanders, Robert Menendez, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Alex Padilla, and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ritchie Torres, and Darren Soto. Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Democrat Rep. Raúl Grijalva, Rep. Adriano Espaillat, and Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García are also in support.

Currently, Puerto Rico receives $2 billion yearly in NAP. If approved, the additional $1 billion would be available until September 2023.

“To meet the moment, we must allocate meaningful federal relief for families struggling to keep themselves healthy and fed,” said Gillibrand, according to El Nuevo Día.