No child should go hungry

Dear Friend,

No child in New Mexico should go hungry. That’s why I am doing all I can to support local schools and community centers in New Mexico in providing our kids with healthy breakfast, lunch, and summer meals.

I am an original cosponsor of the Universal School Meals Act, which would permanently provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all schoolchildren regardless of income, eliminate school meal debt, and strengthen local economies by incentivizing local food procurement.

I am also working to pass the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act to protect the flexibilities that have been crucial to feeding children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. With 90% of our schools still facing many challenges, these flexibilities give our schools and summer meal programs much-needed support to deal with ongoing food service issues and keep kids fed.

Additionally, I introduced the Tribal Nutrition Improvement Act to promote Tribal food sovereignty and make it easier for Native American children to access free meals at school. Far too many Native American children have inconsistent access to healthy meals. This legislation will help change that by addressing the economic, health, and food challenges that Tribes face, while also strengthening and protecting Indigenous food systems.

The meals provided through the federal child nutrition and school lunch programs are absolutely essential to addressing childhood hunger. We need to strengthen these programs and make them work in every community.  That’s the key to ensuring that every single child has the food they need.

Sincerely,

MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator