WASHINGTON, DC – Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman on Wednesday joined his colleagues to introduce the Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023. The bill, originally authored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), would provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to every student – to ensure that no child in this country goes hungry.
“It is downright cruel that we are letting our children in America go hungry,” said Sen. Fetterman. “No child in America should be worried about if they are going to be able to get breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I am proud and honored to co-sponsor this bill that will finally make sure that our children are fed.”
The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023 would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to every school-age child; put an end to school lunch shaming; increase the reimbursement rate for school meals; reimburse schools for previously-accrued school lunch debt; provide incentives for local food procurement; and provide free summer meals to low-income children, among other provisions.
Sen. Fetterman has long been a strong proponent of providing free school lunch to students across the country. As Chair of the Committee on Agriculture’s Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Sen. Fetterman supports increasing benefits for school lunch and making sure that no child in this country goes hungry.
