NEW JERSEY — Today, January 11, 2024, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer released the following statement regarding Assembly Bill 5684. If signed into law by the Governor, this legislation will provide school breakfast and lunch to more than 50,000 children in need.

“I applaud the work of my colleagues in the New Jersey legislature, like Speaker Craig Coughlin, Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, Assemblywoman Shama A. Haider, and many others, who have worked tirelessly to make sure our children are fed. Expanded access to free school meals would not have happened without their leadership. I urge Governor Murphy to sign Assembly Bill 5684 without delay and expand eligibility for free school meals programs. 

You can’t propel a rocket without fuel – the same goes for a growing student. Whether it’s one or 100 kids at school who need a meal – none of them should go hungry – and we won’t stop until every kid is fed. 

For years, I’ve been fighting tooth and nail for universal free meals and to make sure every school in the Fifth District and across our state is clawing back federal dollars to Jersey to help feed our children who need it. And it worked — more kids who needed it got fed. We must do everything we can to combat hunger here in New Jersey and across our nation, not just today, but every day. Providing nutritious food to our children will only strengthen our future and our economy.”

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