Rep. Barragán and Senators Schiff and Welch Introduce Food for Thought Act to Combat College Student Hunger

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 18, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44), along with Senators Adam B. Schiff (D-CA) and Peter Welch (D-VT), introduced the Food for Thought Act, legislation that would create a federal grant program to help four-year colleges and community colleges provide free meals and strengthen food assistance resources for low-income students.

The bill would authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture to award grants to institutions of higher education, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions, to establish programs that address student hunger and improve access to nutritious food.

"Students should never have to choose between putting food on the table and earning a college degree," said Representative Barragán. "For too many students, especially those from low-income families, hunger is another barrier standing between them and their education. The Food for Thought Act will help colleges provide free meals, strengthen campus food resources, and connect students with the assistance they need to succeed. When we invest in a student's basic needs, we are investing in their ability to stay in school, graduate, and build a better future. No student should have to go hungry while working toward their education."

"College students should never have to worry about where their next meal will come from or have to drop out because they can't afford food and tuition. These bills are a commonsense approach to addressing student hunger and strengthening higher education," said Senator Schiff.

"Students from underserved communities face enough challenges in higher education without the added burden of wondering where their next meal is coming from. We should do all we can to provide the resources necessary to give a helping hand to students facing food insecurity on campus," said Senator Welch. "I'm proud to join Senator Schiff and Rep. Barragánin leading the Food for Thought Act to ensure students from Vermont to California never have to decide between their next meal or pursuing their future."

The need for these resources is widespread. According to the Hope Center for Student Basic Needs' 2023-24 Student Basic Needs Survey, 41 percent of surveyed college students experienced food insecurity, while nearly three in five students experienced food or housing insecurity. The survey included more than 74,000 students at 91 institutions across 16 states. (The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs)

The Food for Thought Act would:

• Provide federal grants to four-year colleges and community colleges to offer free meals to low-income students;
• Support campus food pantries and other on-campus food assistance programs;
• Fund outreach and education to help students determine their eligibility for federal food assistance programs;
• Provide funding for essential food infrastructure, including refrigerators and microwaves for student use; and
• Require participating colleges to collect and report data on food insecurity among their students to help inform future anti-hunger policies and programs.

This legislation is cosponsored by: Reps. Joyce Beatty [OH03], Salud O. Carbajal [CA24], Troy A. Carter [LA02], Yvette D. Clarke [NY09], Jim Costa [CA21], Jasmine Crockett [TX30], Danny K. Davis [IL07], Madeleine Dean [PA04], Mark DeSaulnier [CA10], Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia [IL04], Sylvia R. Garcia [TX29], Steven Horsford [NV04], Jonathan L. Jackson [IL01], Raja Krishnamoorthi [IL08], Stephen F. Lynch [MA08], Gwen Moore [WI04], Seth Moulton [MA06], Eleanor Holmes Norton [DC00], Jimmy Panetta [CA19], Deborah K. Ross [NC02], Janice D. Schakowsky [IL09], Adam Smith [WA09], Melanie A. Stansbury [NM01], Rashida Tlaib [MI12], Bonnie Watson Coleman [NJ12], Frederica S. Wilson [FL24].

For the full text of the Food for Thought Act, click HERE.

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