NEWS: Sanders, Omar, More Than 100 Colleagues Introduce Legislation to End Child Hunger Through Universal School Meals

WASHINGTON, May 13 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) today introduced legislation to end child hunger in the United States. The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 would offer free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to every student in America — regardless of income — and eliminate school meal debt while incentivizing local food in schools. Joining Sanders and Omar as cosponsors on this legislation are Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maizie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Minn.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and 85 members of the House of Representatives. “It is outrageous that, while the billionaire class has never had it so good, one in five children will go hungry in America this year,” Sanders said. “The United States is the richest country in the history of the world. Nobody should be going hungry. And what we learned during the pandemic is that a universal approach to school meals works and helps kids do better in school. States across the country continue to prove this every day. It is time for Congress to reinstate universal school meals at the national level to finally ensure no student goes hungry.” “No child should have to sit in a classroom hungry or worried about where their next meal will come from,” Omar said. “As a former nutrition educator and someone who experienced hunger firsthand, this fight is deeply personal to me. I have always believed you must feed kids’ bellies before you can feed their brains. That is why I am proud to partner again with Bernie Sanders to introduce the Universal School Meals Program Act, which would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks to students year-round. Universal school meals are not a luxury—they are a necessity.” The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 comes at a critical moment: the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have enacted the deepest cuts to federal nutrition programs in history, slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $186 billion, imposing harsh new bureaucratic requirements that have stripped food assistance from millions of Americans, and refusing to fund SNAP during the federal government shutdown in fall 2025. Congress funded universal school meals during the COVID-19 pandemic, proving that the model increases school meal participation, reduces the stigma for students from low-income households and removes stress on families to secure healthy meals for their kids. While Congress let the universal model expire at the end of the 2021–2022 school year, nine states — Vermont, Minnesota, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico and New York — have passed laws to provide universal school meals. This legislation builds on this progress to return the model nationwide. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most recent food security report — which the Trump administration has now ended — 48 million Americans, including over 14 million children, are food insecure. Nearly 40% of SNAP recipients are 18 or younger. It is time to permanently make school meals free to all students, regardless of income, and finally address this crisis. Studies show time and again that students with free access to breakfast have improved attendance and better performance in school, and that free meals reduce financial stress for both students and families. Moreover, free and accessible school meals improve health outcomes, relieve the stigma associated with school meals and reduce behavioral incidents. Parents will not be forced to deal with paperwork or subjected to threats to have their children taken away. The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 provides the most cost-effective and inclusive model for students, families, teachers, public schools, childcare providers and communities by: Providing free breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack to every student — regardless of income. Eliminating school meal debt for every public school student in America by reimbursing schools and ending harassment of parents and students over unpaid bills. In a 2025 survey, the School Nutrition Association found that nearly 1,400 school districts across the country hold a median of $6,000 in unpaid meal debt. Increasing the reimbursement rate for schools to get closer to the actual cost of producing meals. Incentivizing schools to buy from local farms , bringing food from nearby farms into schools while supporting local economies. Providing summer meals to all children and increased SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) to lower-income children . Currently, only communities where 50% of children are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch may operate a summer meals program. This bill makes all communities eligible, regardless of income. Strengthening and expanding the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to allow three meals and a snack each day, eliminate the two-tiered reimbursement rate for CACFP, and allow childcare providers to receive the highest reimbursement rate regardless of income. The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 is endorsed by nearly 100 organizations , including the American Heart Association, Food Research & Action Center, Hunger Free America, Hunger Free Vermont, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, National Education Association (NEA), National Family Farm Coalition, Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, Vermont Afterschool, Vermont Foodbank, Washington Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition, and Washington School Nutrition Association. Read the bill here . Read a summary here .