Puerto Rico Flexibility in Food Assistance Act of 2018

Bill: 115-hr-6208
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
Introduced: 2018-06-25
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Caribbean area

Disaster relief and insurance

Food assistance and relief

Natural disasters

Puerto Rico

U.S. territories and protectorates
Latest action: action_date: 2018-06-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-06-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Puerto Rico Flexibility in Food Assistance Act of 2018 </b></p> <p>This bill modifies the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrition Assistance Program to: (1) authorize additional funds during FY2020 and FY2021 for the block grant for Puerto Rico, and (2) allow participants in Puerto Rico to receive benefits in cash after USDA determines that access to benefits is limited or unavailable as a result of a natural disaster. </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6208 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 25, 2018 Ms. Velázquez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to authorize additional funds to expand the nutritional assistance program in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and to require the Secretary of Agriculture to permit such assistance to be provided by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in the form of cash during periods for which the Secretary determines that access to such assistance is limited or unavailable as a result of a natural disaster.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Puerto Rico Flexibility in Food Assistance Act of 2018 . 2. Authorization of additional funds for block grant for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Section 19(a)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2028(a)(2) ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively, and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following: (C) Authorization and advance availability of appropriations (i) Authorization of appropriations In addition to funds made available under subparagraph (B), there is authorized to be appropriated $635,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2020 and 2021 for payment to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for the provision of the assistance described in subparagraph (B). (ii) Appropriation in advance Except as provided in clause (iii), only funds appropriated under clause (i) in advance specifically for the provision of the assistance described in subparagraph (B) shall be available for payment to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for the provision of the assistance described in subparagraph (B). (iii) Other funds Funds appropriated under clause (i) shall be in addition to funds made available under subparagraph (B). . 3. Authority to provide cash benefits during natural disasters Section 19(e)(3)(B) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2028(e)(3)(B) ) is amended— (1) by striking Secretary, informed and inserting the following: Secretary— (i) informed , (2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and , and (3) by adding at the end the following: (ii) shall approve the modification of such plan by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to allow participants, or categories of participants, to receive benefits in the form of cash immediately after a determination by the Secretary that access to such benefits is limited or unavailable as a result of a natural disaster, and during specific periods for which the Secretary has made such a determination. .