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Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Responds to Texas’ decision to opt out of a USDA Summer EBT program

February 28, 2024

Media Contact: Karla Rodriguez | Karla.Rodriguez@mail.house.gov | 202-355-8084

Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia, a Vice Chair of the Poverty Task Force, issued the following statement regarding Texas’ decision to opt out of a USDA Summer EBT program:

“I know the pain of growing up hungry, of being afraid to open the refrigerator to only see the water jug, of growing up on commodity food, of fearing the summer.

“For many low-income students, a school lunch is the only full nutritious meal they receive all day. When school closes for the summer, they are abandoned. Our state ranks second worst in the nation for food insecurity and 1-in-5 children in Texas face hunger every night. When they’re hungry, children are more likely to be hospitalized, and they face higher risks of health conditions like anemia and asthma.

“The decision by Greg Abbott and the State of Texas to throw away $450 million in federal tax dollars passed by Congress to feed hungry low-income children in the summer is despicable. Their reasoning is even more disgusting: the State of Texas claims they have too much on their plate — that they are “too busy” throwing millions of Texans off Medicaid — and don’t have time to feed children during the summer. It is pitiful.

“If you needed proof that Abbott and his enablers are not “pro-life,” this is it. They don’t care about our kids. They don’t care about their health. This is just the latest in the long, long line of injustices that Greg Abbott has inflicted on the working families in our state. Make no mistake: He has failed these children. We must put kids over cruelty."

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Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent the Texas 29th Congressional District. She is the Vice Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, the Vice Chair on Housing and Transportation of the House Democratic Caucus Poverty Task Force, and a member of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government

Incidencias:Education