Luján Statement on Being Named as James Beard Foundation Impact Award Honoree
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, released the following statement after being named a 2026 James Beard Impact Award honoree:
“I am deeply honored to receive this award from the James Beard Foundation. My work to protect and improve federal nutrition programs is driven by the folks back home in New Mexico working tirelessly to fight hunger in our communities every day. To these advocates in New Mexico and across the country—thank you for informing the work I do.”
“In a country as abundant as the United States, allowing our friends, family, and neighbors to go hungry is a policy decision, not an inevitability. SNAP is our best tool in the fight against hunger, helping millions of Americans — including one in five New Mexicans — put food on the table. I look forward to continuing the work to fight hunger and ensure no family in America goes hungry.”
The James Beard Impact Awards program recognizes changemakers actively working to push for standards that create a more equitable, sustainable, and economically viable restaurant industry and food system for producers, workers, and consumers alike.
During the government shutdown, Senator Luján led the Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing bipartisan legislation that prevents the Trump administration from illegally withholding available funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). During debate on the Republican Budget Betrayal, Senator Luján spearheaded efforts to reverse the bill’s drastic cuts to food assistance. In November 2025, Senator Luján led the Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing the Restoring Food Security for American Farmers and Families Act, legislation to repeal the devastating $187 billion cuts to SNAP passed into law as part of the Republican Budget Bill.
Together with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, Senator Luján convened a Spotlight Forum titled “Hunger by Design: The GOP’s Assault on SNAP” to underscore the devastating impact of Congressional Republicans’ plan to gut SNAP.
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