House concurs on food stamp funds

Statement

The House adopted my amendment to the Agriculture appropriation bill on Thursday to ensure that the Northern Mariana Islands Nutritional Assistance Program has enough funding in FY20. I wanted Congress clearly on record that household income eligibility standards and benefit levels currently in place for FY19 are kept in place throughout the next fiscal year. No one should be kicked off the program and see their benefits cut. In my explanatory statement I also expressed congressional intent regarding the $25.2 million for the Marianas program I included in the disaster relief bill,Public Law 116-20. The Marianas has already used $10.6 million for disaster nutrition assistance in response to typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu; and funds in the new law should cover this cost retroactively. Looking ahead, the economic emergency in the aftermath of the typhoons--tourism is down, Commonwealth revenues have fallen--means government hours shortened and teacher salary cuts. During a similar period of recession and austerity from 2008 through 2012, demand for food stamps was up 44 percent. Congress is now on record that disaster assistance should cover that emergency, if necessary.

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