Cultural values Some of the territories, particularly in the Pacific region, identified programs which have not been appropriate. For example, Guam officials said the territory has participated in programs that have disrupted the local culture, such as those sponsored under the Older American Act of 1965, which has altered the traditional responsibilities of the extended family by shifting care for the elderly from the family to the qovern- ment. local American Samoan officials said that they recognize that the culture is sometimes threatened by well-intentioned fed- eral programs. As a result, Samoa selectively applies for programs; for example, although eligible to do so, it has chosen not to participate in the federal Food Stamp Program, and Aid to Families With Dependent Children because they have a “welfare" connotation that is unacceptable in the Samoan culture. Burdensome rules and regulations Several territorial officials said that application, reporting, and monitoring procedures for some federal programs are difficult to comply with because of limited local resources. Program officials in Guam said that the medicaid reporting requirements were burdensome for the local agency staff. A Virgin Islands official said that environmental compliance standards tied to grant funding were inappropriate because the local agency did not have the resources or personnel to perform con- tinuous testing. regulations should Puerto Rico officials said that reporting be relaxed for those programs in which the Commonwealth does not fully nutritional assistance. Exclusions and from programs participate, such as medicaid and limitations Federal assistance programs are often extended to the ter- ritories by defining them as states, but funding allocation formulas often differ from those of the states. Usually, appropriation language states that the territories will share in a specified percent of the amount appropriated for the program or it specifies a set amount for each territory. For example, the nutritional assistance program which replaced the food stamp program, established an annual ceiling of $825 million in Puerto Rico. No ceiling applies to states under the food stamp pro- gram. they Many territorial consider uneven officials funding expressed treatment concern relative to about the what states. For example, all the territories are subject to a dollar ceiling 36 5000243