Udall, Tester, Lujan Grisham Announce Bill to Help Tribes Fight Child Hunger

Press Release

Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), along with U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), announced that they have introduced legislation to streamline and expand access to federal school breakfast and lunch, summer feeding and other meal services by allowing Tribes to participate directly in these programs. Native American children suffer from food insecurity and obesity at rates twice the national average, but too often aren't able to access important hunger and nutrition services because Tribal governments are locked out of administering the school meals and other critically important child nutrition programs.

The Tribal Nutrition Improvement Act of 2015 will adapt existing child nutrition programs to ensure all kids in Native communities have consistent access to nutritious meals. Instead of requiring Tribes to go through state agencies to access federal nutrition programs, the bill adds federally recognized Indian Tribes to the list of governments authorized to administer the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program so Tribes can directly provide these services.

"Native American children are among the most vulnerable in the country to hunger, food insecurity and obesity," Lujan Grisham said. "We need to remove barriers to child nutrition programs and make it as easy as possible for Tribes to directly access funding and meet the needs of children in their communities."

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