PRFAA director says preliminary agreement reached to reopen federal gov’t

Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli

By THE STAR STAFF

Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli announced Sunday that the U.S. Senate reached a preliminary bipartisan agreement to reopen the government until Jan. 30, 2026, and detailed the proposal and its impact on Puerto Rico.

The initial agreement must be approved by the Senate, where the first procedural vote requires 60 votes, and then by the House of Representatives. It is expected to be reviewed this week.

“We are optimistic about this preliminary agreement reached by both parties, which should have sufficient support to be approved,” Boffelli stated in a written statement. “In addition to reopening the government until Jan. 30, the proposal includes three appropriations measures that would fund the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction projects, and Congress for the remainder of fiscal year 2026.”

The Agriculture Appropriations Act funds critical programs for families in Puerto Rico, including $2,978,891,000 for the Nutritional Assistance Program, or PAN by its acronym in Spanish; $8.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, commonly known as WIC; and $37.8 billion for Child Nutrition Programs, including $18.69 billion for the school lunch program and $4.01 billion for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT program.

The second measure to be approved would be the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, versions of which had been passed separately in the House of Representatives and the Senate. That measure provides $19.7 billion for housing, infrastructure, and military facility construction projects, including $155 million to replace the Ramey School in Aguadilla.

The agreement also includes the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, which provides $7 billion in funding for offices in both the House and Senate, as well as agencies that support congressional operations.

“This proposal represents a first step toward finalizing the remaining negotiations on the other nine appropriation projects that would be pending,” Boffelli said. “Since the beginning of this federal budget process, we have focused on doing our job and protecting all the programs that impact Puerto Rico, which, to date, have not suffered cuts, contrary to what has been reported. As the legislative process moves forward, we will remain focused on ensuring this continues.”