On the House Floor: McGovern Urges Increased Funding for Nutrition Assistance in Puerto Rico
In September 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by two major hurricanes — Irma and Maria — both of which caused catastrophic damage, displaced thousands of families, and killed almost 3,000 American citizens.
Adding insult to injury, the Trump Administration organized an embarrassingly slow and ineffective response during Puerto Rico’s time of need. Last July, FEMA released a report acknowledging many of their shortcomings in responding to Hurricane Maria.
And I’m sure we all remember images of the President tastelessly throwing paper towels at families during his relief visit, as if he was shooting free-throws at a basketball game.
It’s been a year and a half since hurricane Maria and Puerto Rico has made incredible strides to rebuild, but many families are still struggling. These are American Citizens who pay taxes and work hard just like mainland Americans — but for some reason, the Trump Administration is having a hard time empathizing.
When I think of all the ways the Trump Administration has attacked low-income and working-class families, I can’t say I’m surprised.
Last week, the Washington Post reported that Puerto Rico was forced to start cutting its Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) benefits. Puerto Rico’s food assistance program is funded by a capped block grant separate from SNAP, and while other federal nutrition programs like WIC and School Meals operate in Puerto Rico the same as in other states and territories, Puerto Rico remains disadvantaged because their Nutrition Assistance Program funds are static.
In order to receive nutrition assistance in Puerto Rico, you have to have a lower income, to receive less assistance, than someone who lives on the mainland. Block-granting the program also limits their flexibility to respond to changes in demand — when the hurricanes struck, additional funds had to be given to NAP to accommodate more participants.
These forced cuts will reduce Puerto Rico’s food assistance benefits by 25% for 1.3 million people — that’s 43% of Puerto Rico’s population. While it is true that this cut will restore the overall benefit amount to what it was before the hurricane, we must remember that these participants often need more assistance given the circumstances.
It’s not easy to rebuild your entire life on an empty stomach!
On more than one occasion, House Democrats have asked for an additional $600 million to help Puerto Rico through this rough patch — only to be shut down by the President and his misplaced, ill-informed prejudices towards Puerto Rico. Even Leader McConnell seems to be helping the President do his dirty work by refusing to take up the Supplemental Appropriations bill we sent to the Senate during the shutdown in January — probably because it would force them to address relief funds for Puerto Rico.
Pulling out the rug from beneath Puerto Rico does not solve the problem, it creates a bigger one. This won’t disappear. That’s why I urge my colleagues in the US Senate to appropriate an additional $600 million for Puerto Rico’s Nutrition Assistance program. I also urge my colleagues in the House to support these funds and speak out on this issue. The least we can do is empathize with our fellow Americans who are recovering from a natural disaster.
It doesn’t happen overnight. It doesn’t take months. It takes years to recover from the devastation that hurricane Maria caused, and Puerto Rico has continued to fight and advocate for disaster funds unlike states on the mainland.
Time is running out and we can’t allow these cuts to continue. It’s on all of us to end hunger now.
