Washington, D.C. — In a decisive step toward fairness in federal benefits, Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón led a series of efforts in our nation’s capital aimed at securing the Island’s inclusion in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Accompanied by PRFAA Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli and Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández-Rivera, the Governor held important meetings with Members of Congress, federal agency heads, and key organizations, marking historic progress in advancing food assistance security for Puerto Rico.

Currently, more than 1.2 million residents on the Island rely on the Nutritional Assistance Program (NAP), a capped block grant that, unlike SNAP, provides limited benefits and lacks the robust tools needed for economic development and disaster response. Transitioning to SNAP would represent progress, expanding both the scope and quality of nutritional assistance for Puerto Rican families.

During her time in Congress, González-Colón headed multiple drives to strengthen NAP, including securing billions in supplemental funding after Hurricanes Irma and María, while promoting feasibility studies for Puerto Rico’s eventual transition to SNAP. Now, as Governor, she is reaffirming her commitment to this transformation:

"We are working diligently to ensure Puerto Rico is as prepared as possible. My administration will continue to strengthen the policies needed to achieve a sustainable model that truly benefits our families.”

PRFAA Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli added: "We are moving forward with concrete steps to guarantee that Puerto Rico is fully ready for the transition to SNAP. Thanks to the Governor’s leadership and our administration’s work, every training, every process review, and every coordination with federal agencies is aligned with our goal of giving Puerto Rican families broader and more effective access to nutritional assistance.”

A new bill introduced by the Resident Commissioner, which reintroduces the Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act, proposes a structured 10-year transition period. This approach would allow the local government and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement SNAP without an immediate impact on the federal budget.

"This removes the main obstacle we faced: the projected five-year cost,” explained Hernández Rivera.

The Governor also highlighted ongoing efforts to prepare local agencies, particularly Puerto Rico’s Department of the Family and ADSEF, including staff training across several U.S. states.

"We are all on the same page. This is not a new initiative. We have worked to reduce errors and strengthen the technological and operational infrastructure required for SNAP. Puerto Rico will be ready well before the 10-year deadline,” she affirmed.

Currently, NAP represents a federal investment of $2.9 billion annually on the Island. Transitioning to SNAP is projected to increase this by approximately $1 billion each year, without creating short-term costs for the federal government due to the phased implementation.

The Governor concluded by thanking Members of Congress for their bipartisan support and reaffirmed her commitment to working alongside PRFAA, the Resident Commissioner, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and both public and private stakeholders to make SNAP in Puerto Rico a reality.

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