National Advocates Call Out Failure of NDAA to Address Military Hunger

December 17, 2025

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Following the passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the national anti-hunger advocacy nonprofit MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger released the following statement expressing deep disappointment in the legislation’s failure to adequately address the needs of the 24% of military families struggling with hunger. The organization, which has been a longtime advocate and leader in understanding and tackling food insecurity in the military, called out that this has been a pressing issue for years and urged greater attention in the future.

MAZON President & CEO Abby J. Leibman stated:

“This year, the Trump administration directly and repeatedly attacked vital food assistance programs and those struggling with hunger and poverty. Congress had a chance to adopt policies that would address food insecurity among military families head-on in this year’s NDAA, and to not do so is a shameful failure. While this is not the first time we have received this disappointing outcome, the circumstances are more dire. Military families needed a lift after this summer’s historic Republican budget cuts, harmful structural changes to SNAP, and the federal government shutdown. We will keep pushing for policies both big and small that will reverse the course of hunger in our military and across this country.”

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