I’ve always said that joining the military is more than just a job – it’s a family commitment to our country. That’s why it’s so disappointing that we find ourselves in a position where food insecurity is becoming a growing concern amongst our military families. In recent years, over 60 percent of military families have reported feeling stressed from their financial situation, and nearly 1 in 7 military families say they are experiencing food insecurity.

This is not a challenge military families should be faced with. For that reason, I’m leading on the Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act to help address military family food insecurity by qualifying almost all children of entry-level, active duty servicemembers for the National School Lunch Program.

While this bill won’t fix everything, it will take an important step towards providing critical food security to military children and promote their success in the classroom, reduce financial stress for military families, and allow active duty servicemembers at Fairchild Air Force Base and across the country to focus on serving our nation.

Click here to read the bill and learn more about my work to serve veterans in Eastern Washington.