Congress
approves resolution extending food stamp program until next month
by Fili Sagapolutele
Samoa News Correspondent
Congressman Faleomavaega
Eni announced on his radio program that Congress approved late
yesterday a resolution that will continue the federally-funded
food stamp program for American Samoa until next month.
The extension
will allow Congress to work out final language of the farm legislation,
which covers the food stamp program.
Early this month,
Faleomavaega and his colleague from Puerto Rico send a joint
letter to members of Congress reminding them about the deadline
of the farm bill, which if not extended would mean the federally-funded
food stamp voucher program for American Samoa and Puerto Rico
will be discontinued at the end of the month.
According to
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the food stamp program will
halt if Congress does not pass a new farm bill or if an extension
of the current farm bill is not enacted into law by March 16.
Faleomavaega
said on his radio program that the U.S. Senate approved late
yesterday a U.S. House resolution to extend the farm bill, that
includes the food stamp program, to April 18 while Congress works
out final language of the pending farm bill, which covers a wide
range of USDA programs throughout the U.S.
He told the community
not to be concerned and that he will monitor this situation so
that American Samoa continues to receive funding for the food
stamp program.
The local program,
which received more than $4 million last year to provide food
vouchers for the elderly and the disabled at about $100 a month,
is administered locally by the Department of Human and Social
Services.
Reach the
reporter at fili@samoanews.com.
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