Gillibrand Demands Passage Of Bill To Provide Free Meals For All K-12 Students To Help New York Families Struggling Amid Rising Grocery And Gas Prices

Gillibrand Demands Passage Of Bill To Provide Free Meals For All K-12 Students To Help New York Families Struggling Amid Rising Grocery And Gas Prices

May 20, 2026

Over 14 million children are food insecure, and nearly 40% of SNAP recipients are 18 or younger

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to call for passage of her Universal School Meals Program Act, legislation that would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all schoolchildren.

This legislation comes as New York families are struggling to make ends meet as prices for groceries, gas, and other necessities increase due to inflation and President Trump's war with Iran. Gillibrand's legislation would help ease the financial burden on families and improve educational outcomes by providing free meals to all schoolchildren, regardless of where they live or their family's ability to pay.

"Working families are struggling to put food on the table because of skyrocketing prices in Donald Trump's economy," said Senator Gillibrand. "In the richest country in the world, that is a moral failure. My Universal School Meals Program Act would provide real relief to working families by guaranteeing free breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack for all schoolchildren. This is critical legislation, and I am determined to get it passed."

The Universal School Meals Program Act comes at a critical moment: the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have enacted the deepest cuts to federal nutrition programs in history. Over the last year, they have slashed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by $186 billion, imposed harsh new bureaucratic requirements that have stripped food assistance from millions of Americans, and refused to fund SNAP during the federal government shutdown in fall 2025.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's most recent food security report, 48 million Americans, including over 14 million children, are food insecure. Nearly 40% of SNAP recipients are 18 or younger.

Studies show that students with free access to school meals have improved attendance, better performance in school, and fewer behavioral incidents. Free meals also reduce financial stress for both students and families, improve health outcomes, and relieve the stigma associated with school meals.

The Universal School Meals Program Act 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 hundreds of 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 increasing 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.

Joining Senator Gillibrand on the Universal School Meals Program Act are Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Fetterman (D-PA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and 85 members of the House of Representatives.

This legislation is endorsed by nearly 100 organizations, including the American Heart Association, Food Research & Action Center, Hunger Free America, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, National Education Association (NEA), and the National Family Farm Coalition.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

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