(a) In general
(1) States
(A) Population basis Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), from sums appropriated for each fiscal year to carry out this subpart, the Commissioner shall make an allotment to each State whose State plan has been approved under section
796d–1 of this title of an amount bearing the same ratio to such sums as the population of the State bears to the population of all States.
(B) Maintenance of 1992 amounts
Subject to the availability of appropriations to carry out this subpart, the amount of any allotment made under subparagraph (A) to a State for a fiscal year shall not be less than the amount of an allotment made to the State for fiscal year 1992 under part A of this subchapter, as in effect on the day before October 29, 1992.
(C) Minimums
Subject to the availability of appropriations to carry out this subpart, and except as provided in subparagraph (B), the allotment to any State under subparagraph (A) shall be not less than $275,000 or 1/3 of 1 percent of the sums made available for the fiscal year for which the allotment is made, whichever is greater, and the allotment of any State under this section for any fiscal year that is less than $275,000 or 1/3 of 1 percent of such sums shall be increased to the greater of the two amounts.
(2) Certain territories
(A) In general
For the purposes of paragraph (1)(C), Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands shall not be considered to be States.
(B) Allotment
Each jurisdiction described in subparagraph (A) shall be allotted under paragraph (1)(A) not less than 1/8 of 1 percent of the amounts made available for purposes of this subpart for the fiscal year for which the allotment is made.
(3) Adjustment for inflation
For any fiscal year, beginning in fiscal year 1999, in which the total amount appropriated to carry out this subpart exceeds the total amount appropriated to carry out this subpart for the preceding fiscal year, the Commissioner shall increase the minimum allotment under paragraph (1)(C) by a percentage that shall not exceed the percentage increase in the total amount appropriated to carry out this subpart between the preceding fiscal year and the fiscal year involved.