The US Senate's agricultural bill, presented by Republican Senator John Boozman of Arkansas, excludes the transition from the Program of Nutritional Assistance (PAN) to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Puerto Rico. The proposal was estimated to cost around $2,000 million. Senator Boozman had previously indicated that the cost would influence his decision.
The Senate's bill follows the model of the House of Representatives' bill, which also left out the transition. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York had presented similar legislation. The bill aims to help American farming families, and Boozman stated that it demonstrates a commitment to supporting them.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the administrative cost of the transition to be $1,000 million, and Puerto Rico would receive at least $900 million more in food assistance under SNAP. The House of Representatives proposed an inflation increase of around $77.8 million for PAN in Puerto Rico, raising annual allocations to $3,056 million. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer criticized the bill, stating that it excludes crucial nutritional assistance for Americans struggling to put food on the table.