Gov. Greg Abbott Rejects Federal Funding for Summer Lunch Program Benefiting Low-Income Kids

Gov. Greg Abbott has rejected a $60 million budget initiative that would have allowed Texas to participate in a federal summer lunch program designed for low-income children. The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program aimed to provide $120 per qualifying child for summer lunches in 2027, impacting approximately 3.75 million kids throughout the state. The provision for this program was embedded in Senate Bill 1, the state budget. Texas would have contributed a portion for administrative costs to access federal funds exceeding $400 million allocated for lunch subsidies. However, Abbott eliminated this provision in a recent list of vetoes. The governor cited “significant uncertainty regarding federal matching rates” as the reason for his decision, asserting that the Legislature could revisit the funding with more clarity on the fiscal implications. Currently, 37 states partake in the federal summer lunch initiative, while Texas served over 12 million summer meals last year. The veto has drawn sharp criticism from Texas Democrats and advocacy groups concerned about child nutrition.