The program could provide food assistance to millions of low-income children across Texas if the state opts in before a key deadline.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to reconsider his veto that halted funding for a federal summer meal program for low-income children.
Mayor Jones confirmed she sent a letter to the governor’s office on Monday, outlining the impact of the veto and calling on the state to act before a looming deadline. Texas has until the first of the year to opt into the federal program.
Over the summer, Abbott vetoed $60 million in state funding that would have covered administrative costs to participate in the program. In return, the federal government would have provided approximately $400 million to support summer meals for children across Texas.
Under the program, eligible families would have received $120 per child to help cover food costs during the summer months. State officials estimate more than 3.5 million children in Texas would qualify.
“We owe it to ourselves as a state to support the next generation,” Mayor Jones said, emphasizing the state’s economic strength and arguing that Texas can afford to ensure children do not go hungry when school is out.
In his veto message, Abbott said he had concerns about the long-term reliability of federal funding for the program.
Mayor Jones said she drafted the letter to formally urge the governor to reconsider, adding that she wanted to make clear where she stands on the issue.
It remains unclear whether the governor will reverse course before the state’s deadline.