John,

I believe in the wealthiest country on Earth, no child should go to bed hungry. 

But the truth is 1 out of every 8 kids in America are at risk of child hunger - and it’s even higher for Black and Latino communities. 

That’s why I’m so concerned about Republican-led efforts to take away access to free and reduced lunch at school from millions of kids. 

Nearly 2 in 3 students in my community qualify for and rely on these programs to get enough to eat during the school day - that’s literally thousands of children right here in the Central Valley who will be hungry if the extremists in the GOP get their way. 

Usually it’s a bully who steals your lunch, not the government. That’s why we have to take back the House from Kevin McCarthy to make sure these cuts never see the light of day. 

The solution to child hunger is complicated, but it revolves around making sure our child nutrition programs continue to run - even when kids aren’t attending classes in-person. It also means giving families certainty that these programs aren’t just going to evaporate overnight as school budgets get hit.

I’ve already passed two bills with Republican colleagues to try to tackle this issue from a multitude of lenses. My Fresh Produce for Kids in Need Act helps farmers bring fresh produce to low-income kids and my EATS Act specifically targets combating hunger on college campuses.

Childhood hunger is a stain on our country. We have to put a spotlight on this crisis and pass real legislation that is going to make a difference. I’m going to keep using my platform in Congress to make sure our kids are getting the food they need. It’s the least we can do. 

— Josh