Abbott Vetoes Summer Meal Funds for Kids While Calling Costly Special Session
In a budget totaling $338 billion, Texas Governor Greg Abbott used his veto pen to strike just one item: funding to feed hungry children during the summer.
The governor vetoed $60 million allocated for the Summer EBT program, a federally backed initiative that would have provided food assistance to Texas children who lose access to school meals during summer break. The decision has sparked outrage across the state, including in San Antonio, where many families rely on summer meal support.
“Out of billions, the only thing Abbott couldn’t stomach was feeding hungry kids,” said local advocates reacting to the veto. “This wasn’t just cruel—it was targeted.”
While cutting food assistance, Abbott simultaneously called lawmakers back to Austin for a special session, costing taxpayers millions more. House Democrats say they’re ready to return—not for political games, but to push smart, evidence-based policies, including THC regulation that protects children while respecting veterans and adult users.
Adding to tensions, Abbott also vetoed HB 413, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill supported across party lines. The bill aimed to ensure defendants aren’t jailed longer than the sentences they face — a commonsense fix supported by judges, prosecutors, and lawmakers across Texas.
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu condemned the governor’s actions, saying,
In the same stroke, Abbott vetoed food for hungry Texas kids and a bill ensuring Texans don’t sit in jail longer than their potential sentence.
With the special session underway, San Antonio lawmakers are expected to advocate for practical reform and push back against what they call “misplaced priorities.”
