Sponsors (20)
The bill expands and clarifies nutrition assistance for U.S. territories and certain high-cost areas—improving benefit adequacy, administrative capacity, and continuity—but does so at the cost of higher federal spending and with implementation and timing uncertainties that could delay benefits or complicate oversight.
Low-income households in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and high-cost areas of Alaska will receive SNAP benefits that better reflect local food costs, increasing benefit adequacy.
Low-income residents of Puerto Rico gain a clear pathway to SNAP—including access once Puerto Rico's plan is approved, USDA training and technical assistance, and predictable approval timelines—improving access and continuity of nutrition assistance.
Residents and administrators in American Samoa will have nutrition assistance program expenditures fully covered by federal funds each applicable fiscal year, ensuring continued benefits and budgetary certainty for local program administrators.
Taxpayers face higher federal spending because the bill raises SNAP benefit levels in higher-cost jurisdictions, expands SNAP access to Puerto Rico, and requires full federal payment for American Samoa, increasing budgetary pressure.
Key implementation and funding details are unspecified or partially incomplete, creating legal and administrative ambiguity that could complicate state/territorial administration and make Congressional oversight harder.
Puerto Rico residents could experience delays in accessing full SNAP benefits if the territory fails to meet plan requirements within the 180-day window or if the Secretary delays determinations, prolonging reliance on block grants.
Based on analysis of 14 sections of legislative text.
Makes Puerto Rico eligible for SNAP adjustments and participation, requires a USDA-approved transition plan, allows temporary block-grant continuation, and mandates full funding for American Samoa after transition.
Introduced March 2, 2026 by Kirsten Gillibrand · Last progress March 2, 2026
Adds Puerto Rico to several Nutrition Act provisions so the territory can transition from its existing block grant to participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), requires Puerto Rico to submit a 180-day transition plan for USDA approval, allows USDA to continue the existing block grant for up to five years during the transition, and directs full federal funding of American Samoa’s nutrition program after the transition period. The Act takes effect on enactment but delays the legal effect of the statutory amendments for 10 years; it also authorizes “such sums as may be necessary” to carry out the Act for the duration of the transition period.