Congress·In Committee·H.R. 5168

House Bill Would Bring Puerto Rico Into National SNAP Program After Decades on Fixed Aid

Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act

7 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Part of: Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would move Puerto Rico from its current limited food assistance program to the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Currently, Puerto Rico receives a fixed amount of money each year that does not always meet the actual needs of its residents, unlike the SNAP program used in the 50 states.
If the bill becomes law, Puerto Rico would have to create a detailed plan to manage the new system. The Department of Agriculture would provide training and technical support to help the island's government make the switch and ensure they are ready to handle the federal requirements.
The transition is designed to be gradual. The bill allows for a five-year period where the old funding continues while the new system is built, and the most significant legal changes would not fully take effect until 10 years after the bill is signed.
This change is intended to provide more stable and higher benefit amounts for families in Puerto Rico. Because SNAP funding grows automatically when more people need help, it would help the island better handle economic downturns or natural disasters that make it harder for people to afford food.

Agriculture

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Sep 8, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Sep 8, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within about 6 months of enactment

Puerto Rico submits a plan to transition to SNAP

After designating a state agency, Puerto Rico would have 180 days to submit its transition plan to the Department of Agriculture. This starts the clock on the administrative process to move from the old block grant to the national SNAP system.

Up to 5 years after enactment

Transition period from block grant to SNAP concludes

The bill allows up to 5 years after enactment for the old block grant funding to continue while Puerto Rico builds its SNAP infrastructure. During this time, both systems may overlap to ensure no one loses benefits.

10 years after enactment

Full legal amendments take effect, Puerto Rico officially part of SNAP

The key legal changes that formally include Puerto Rico in the SNAP program don't kick in until 10 years after the bill is signed. This means Puerto Rican residents would be fully eligible for SNAP on the same terms as people in the 50 states.

Related News

3 articles

NBC News·almost 3 years ago

Puerto Rico's food stamps are less than the states'. A new bill wants to change that.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act to end the decades-long exclusion of the island from SNAP. The bill aims to provide equitable food assistance to 1.4 million residents currently under the limited NAP block grant.

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The Hill·almost 3 years ago

Bipartisan bill would transition Puerto Rico to SNAP

Lawmakers introduced legislation to move Puerto Rico into the SNAP program, arguing the current block grant system leaves residents with fewer benefits than those on the mainland. The bill includes a multi-year transition period to allow the island to build necessary administrative infrastructure.

Axios·almost 3 years ago

The push to get Puerto Rico on SNAP

The Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act proposes a 10-year transition for the island to move to SNAP. This would replace the current NAP system, which provides lower benefits and lacks the ability to automatically expand during emergencies like hurricanes.