THE LONG GAME: Farm Bill proposals unveiled; Congressman Cuellar charged
Republicans and Democrats released the outlines of competing Farm Bill legislation last week. Differences between the parties’ approaches to climate change and food nutrition programs were among the biggest contrasts between the two proposals. According to Roll Call, Senate Agriculture Committee chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) called her proposal “very mainstream” and included more than 100 bipartisan bills in the package. The summary released by House Agriculture Committee chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) would reallocate funds from a 2022 clean energy law. The GOP bill would also prohibit increases or decreases in the Supplemental Nutrition Program benefits (SNAP, commonly referred to as food stamps) except to reflect changes in the cost of living. Stabenow’s bill, unlike the GOP version, also includes language that would allow Puerto Rico to transition from the Nutritional Assistance Program (NAP) to SNAP. Such a change could increase food assistance from $2.9 billion to $4.5 billion per year on the Island. According to her summary, the transition could take up to ten years. Approximately 1.4 million Puerto Ricans receive assistance under the program. The bill is expected to be marked up in the House the week of May 23. Stabenow did not set a date for committee action.
According to a federal indictment, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and his wife Imelda Cuellar have been charged with accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities. Cuellar denied the allegations and vowed to remain in his reelection race. The couple faces charges that include conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal official, violating the ban on public officials acting as agents of foreign principals, and money laundering. According to prosecutors, Cuellar accepted payments from an Azerbaijan oil company and a bank headquartered in Mexico. Although Cuellar will remain in the House, he will step down as ranking member of a House Appropriations subcommittee while the investigation is ongoing. Cuellar has served in Congress since 2005.
Washington Watch is published weekly when Congress is in session. Published monthly during extended recess or adjournment.
Spotlight on Puerto Rico
Proposal would tap sports betting to pay for new doctors
With the number of physicians falling to historically low levels, a new proposal by a doctor and activist would use a portion of proceeds from sports betting to fund an expansion of health services on the Island. State Senate candidate Dr. Elaine 'Tuti' Soler has suggested using five percent of tax earnings from online sports betting to partially finance the academic expenses of medical students in key specialties where new doctors have been difficult to recruit. Soler estimates that Puerto Rico is expected to take in approximately $6 million in taxes associated with sports betting. According to the College of Surgeons of Puerto Rico, fewer than nine thousand doctors are currently operating on the Island, the lowest level in four decades. Physicians in some specialties are extremely hard to find; for example, only 17 neurosurgeons currently practice on the Island. Soler adds that medical needs will increase on the Island as Puerto Rico’s population ages. Currently there are approximately 770,000 people age 65 or older.
New study shows what it would take for return of diaspora
Nearly one-third of members of the Puerto Rican diaspora would consider returning to the Island if certain conditions are met, a new study found. In the survey, commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce, 32 percent of respondents said that they would be willing to return to Puerto Rico if quality of life improved and sufficient employment opportunities were made available. Ramón Pérez Blanco, president of the Chamber of Commerce, tells El Nuevo Dia that Puerto Ricans left the Island seeking employment opportunities, professional growth, education, and healthcare. He adds that the improvements called for by members of the diaspora are achievable.
Bankruptcies on the rise during early 2024
El Nuevo Dia details some sour economic news, with a report that bankruptcies on the Island increased by nearly two-thirds in April when compared to the same month last year. There were 524 such cases last month, 62 percent higher than April of 2023. Chapter 7 liquidation cases amounted to 169 filings during April, an increase of approximately 80 percent. Additionally, 345 Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases were filed, 50 percent higher than a year ago. During the first four months of 2024, bankruptcies amounted to 1,851 cases, which was 41 percent higher than those registered during the same period in 2023. The data come from the Puerto Rico Bulletin.
View From The White House
The Biden administration announced a rule Friday that will enable certain recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (or, “Dreamers”) to be eligible to enroll in a health plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Attorney General Derrick Garland submitted a rescheduling proposal last week to the Office of Management and Budget that would set in motion the reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule I drug to the less stringent Schedule III.
Accessing funds made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the White House announced Thursday that it would provide about $3 billion to help replace 1.7 million lead pipes and help deliver clean drinking water to communities across the country.
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