Sen. Gillibrand Proposes Free Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner For Students

NEW YORK — Eight U.S states provide universal school meals for schoolchildren. If Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has her way, the rest of the U.S. will join California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Vermont in offering three free meals a day to schoolchildren.

Gillibrand held a video press conference on Thursday calling for the passage of the Universal School Meals Program Act, legislation that would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all schoolchildren regardless of income. The New York Senator said the bill would also expand access to free meals over the summer and eliminate school meal debt.

"In the richest country on earth, it is unacceptable that millions of kids go hungry each day. The Universal School Meals Program Act would provide funding for free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack for all students and slash burdensome red tape for school administrators," Gillibrand said. "This bill would make our families and communities healthier and stronger, keep kids in school, and work to fight the stigma too often associated with meal programs. I look forward to passing this critical legislation so every child in the United States has the food they need to succeed."

If enacted, the law would permanently provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to all schoolchildren regardless of income and end application paperwork that can be a barrier to enrollment in current meal programs.

The act increases the reimbursement rates for school authorities participating in the food and nutrition programs to more accurately reflect the true cost of providing meals.

The senator said the new rules will reduce stigma associated with meal programs by eliminating meal debt and prohibiting school food authorities from discriminating against or overtly identifying a child participating in the free meal program.

The bill also expands the summer food service program and Summer EBT program by making all children eligible to participate in the programs. Currently, only communities where 50 percent of children are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch can operate a summer meals program. The Universal School Meals Program Act would make all communities eligible, regardless of income.