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The San Juan Daily Star
Monday, July 19, 2021
Resident commissioner cosponsors bill to expand WIC access By JOHN McPHAUL jpmcphaul@gmail.com
R Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón
ep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) and Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón filed the WIC for Children Act of 2021 late last week, which seeks to eliminate barriers to enrollment in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. “I introduced the WIC Children’s Act of 2021 to make it less complicated for families to enroll in the WIC program by streamlining the process and providing automatic eligibility for WIC when families have documented eligibility in other programs. WIC has been shown to improve children’s health, benefit local economies, and promote lifelong healthy habits,” Hayes said in a written statement. “However, millions of moth-
ers and children who are eligible for WIC do not access the benefit. In fact, only 56.9 percent of eligible Americans participate in WIC, with a 30 percent decrease in the retention of children in the program ages 0-5.” The resident commissioner noted that “[i]n Puerto Rico, we have more than 100,000 WIC participants, which makes it an important source of assistance for mothers and children on the island.” “I am proud to be the original co-sponsor of this measure and I look forward to continuing to work with Representative Hayes to move this bill forward,” González Colón added. The bill simplifies eligibility for WIC enrollment to facilitate family participation. Specifically, the bill provides automatic eligibility for WIC for mothers and children who: • Reside in a household in which a member
participates in SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program • Participate in the state children’s health insurance program • Participate in the Head Start program or reside in a household in which one or more children are enrolled in Head Start • Reside in a household that participates in the Food Distribution Program in the indigenous reservations • Are members of a family of a pregnant woman, a postpartum woman, an infant, or a child who receives medical assistance from Medicaid or the state children’s health insurance program. The bill also allows certification periods to be adjusted to help align family certification periods, and directs states to include a plan for how they will serve extended families as part of their state plans.
Diplomacy internship program open for applicants By THE STAR STAFF
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uerto Rico Secretary of State-designate Omar J. Marrero invited undergraduate and graduate students from Puerto Rico on Sunday to be part of the selection process for the internship program of the Dr. Arturo Morales Carrión School of Diplomatic and Foreign Relations. Marrero said the internship offers students the opportunity to work with multilateral and international institutions and organizations in Washington, D.C., as well as in international embassies. “I am pleased to announce that we have opened the call period for the new generation to be part of this enriching initiative, which aims at real experience in the area
of international relations,” the official said in a press release. “This experience will contribute significantly to the students’ curriculum, which they can integrate into their professional careers. I invite all graduate and undergraduate students to be part of this program and continue to develop professionally.” The secretary of state said the application period ends on July 31, and three students will be admitted for the period from August to December. Students, among other eligibility considerations, must write an academic essay in English, highlighting the importance of internationalization in Puerto Rican education. Those interested should complete the application form, which can be found on the Department of State’s website, or send an email to masantiago@estado.pr.gov.
At left, Puerto Rico Secretary of State-designate Omar J. Marrero
Manatee stranded in Humacao dies By THE STAR STAFF
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iologist Grisel Rodríguez Ferrer, coordinator of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources’ (DNER) Marine Mammal Rescue Program, reported that a manatee rescued on Sunday morning in Punta Santiago in Humacao had died. “At around 12:30 in the afternoon, the staff of the Manatee Conservation Center in Bayamón began the necropsy to determine the causes of death,” Rodríguez Ferrer said. “What we do know is that the 9-foot animal was weak and underweight, which is why it could have been ill, which, in turn, caused its stranding.”
The manatee had been rescued by Humacao Emergency Management personnel, the Manatee Conservation Center and the DNER after a citizen called the 9-1-1 emergency call system to report the situation. “Thanks to that quick call from the public and the response of the experts, we were able to rescue this manatee and begin the process to stabilize it, although sadly it died,” Rodríguez Ferrer said. “It is important that we know what to do if we witness that a marine mammal is in danger. The 9-1-1 Emergency Call System handles these types of incidents 24 hours a day and seven days a week. People can also download the Dolphin & Whale 911 application to report emergencies involving manatees, sea turtles or whales.”