Urges United States Congress to pass "Universal School Meals Program Act."

ACR147

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 147

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 14, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

SYNOPSIS

���� Urges United States Congress to pass �Universal
School Meals Program Act.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A
Concurrent Resolution
urging the United
States Congress to pass the �Universal School Meals Program Act.�

Whereas,

Millions of people face food insecurity every day and, before the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic, five million children in the United States lived in food
insecure homes; and

Whereas,

The pandemic has exacerbated this problem, with the United States Department of
Agriculture estimating that 12 million children in the United States lived in
food insecure homes at the height of the pandemic, many of whom experienced the
stress of food insecurity for the first time; and

Whereas,

Families across the United States continue to struggle financially in the
aftermath of the pandemic; putting food and other basic necessities out of
reach for many working families; and

Whereas,

Hungry children are more likely to have less energy, be more easily distracted,
come to school late or miss school entirely; and

Whereas,

Free and accessible school meals have been shown to reduce financial stress for
students and their families, and to improve the health, educational, and
behavioral outcomes of students; and

Whereas,

Prior to the start of the pandemic, close to 30 million children in the country
relied on free or reduced-priced breakfast and lunch offered through the United
States Department of Agriculture; and

Whereas,

Schools offering universal school meals during the COVID-19 pandemic have
played an important role in fighting the rise in child hunger; and

Whereas,

Due to significant economic disruption caused by the pandemic, the United
States Department of Agriculture provided waivers of certain school meal rules,
allowing school meals to be served free for all students; and

Whereas,

The �Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023,� which was introduced in the
118th Congress but has not yet been reintroduced in the current Congress, would
deliver permanent relief to millions of food insecure families by providing
free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all school children regardless of
their socioeconomic status; and

Whereas,

The �Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023,� if reintroduced and enacted
by the United States Congress, would eliminate school food debt and reimburse
schools for all delinquent school meal debt; and

Whereas,

The �Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023,� would expand the existing
free school breakfast and lunch program so that every child receives a free
breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack, irrespective of income, ensuring no child
is left hungry; now, therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the General Assembly of the State
of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

���� 1.��� The Legislature of the
State of New Jersey respectfully urges the United States Congress to reintroduce
and pass the �Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023.�

���� 2.��� Copies of this
resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the
Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the Speaker of
the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders
of the United States House of Representatives, and the Majority and Minority
Leaders of the United States Senate, and to each member of Congress elected
from New Jersey.

STATEMENT

����� This concurrent resolution urges the United States
Congress to reintroduce and pass the �Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023.��
This federal legislation would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a
snack to all school children regardless of their socioeconomic background.�
This legislation also eliminates school food debt and reimburses schools for
all delinquent school meal debt.
�