Resident commissioner secures PR’s inclusion in legislation for SNAP & WIC continuity during shutdown

Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera

By THE STAR STAFF

Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera announced Wednesday that he secured Puerto Rico’s inclusion in the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025, introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), to guarantee the continuity of food assistance programs during the federal government shutdown.

“We made sure that the Nutritional Assistance Program (PAN by its acronym in Spanish) was included from the first draft,” Hernández Rivera said in a written statement. “Thanks to this inclusion, Puerto Rico would have access to the funds, just like any other jurisdiction.”

He noted that the measure provides for the automatic allocation of funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs and, through a clause negotiated by his office, also extends this protection to Puerto Rico’s PAN. The provision directly references Section 19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which establishes block grants for Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The bill, championed by Luján, also authorizes reimbursements to governments that use their own funds to avoid interruptions in benefits, a measure he considered crucial for the island, whose government has indicated that the resources available for the PAN would only cover expenses through the first part of November.

“The inclusion of PAN in this bill was a direct result of my relationship with Senator Luján, whom I called, explained the situation of Puerto Rico and PAN, and he amended the draft bill to make it crystal clear that it would be funded,” Hernández Rivera added.

The resident commissioner also noted that the legislation contrasts with a measure introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley of (R-Mo.), which excludes Puerto Rico.

“While this bill introduced by the Democrats ensures access for all, the bill introduced by the Republicans leaves Puerto Rico out,” Hernández Rivera said. “This exclusion is not technical; it is political. And in the face of this, Governor Jenniffer Aidyn González Colón has a clear responsibility. It is up to her to speak out, talk with her party, and correct this injustice.”

The official reiterated that he will continue to scrutinize all federal legislation that affects programs essential to the people of Puerto Rico.

The governor, meanwhile, gave assurances earlier on Wednesday that her administration has identified the necessary resources to guarantee the continuity of the PAN and the payment of federal employees on the island affected by the partial federal government shutdown.

“I told you yesterday that the Secretary of the Governor’s Office and the finance team were looking for all the tools to guarantee that,” González Colón said in statements to the press in San Juan. “My government will always seek to give peace of mind to all these federal employees and all the people in Puerto Rico who don’t have money to put food on their table. That’s why, from our own resources, we have been guaranteeing PAN and we already have it covered for the next two weeks.”

The governor said additional resources have been identified to maintain assistance until the federal government resumes its operations. She also noted that her administration is paying the salaries of employees at El Yunque, Castillo San Felipe del Morro, and Castillo San Cristóbal, as well as providing aid to workers displaced by the federal shutdown.

González Colón emphasized that, unlike other states where food assistance has already been suspended, Puerto Rico has decided to continue payments to prevent families from losing access to food.

“This demonstrates that while other states have already cut off this aid, in Puerto Rico we will continue to provide support so that people have food to eat,” she said.