Rep. Ilhan Omar Named “Defender of Children” for her Advocacy for Childhood Nutrition, Childcare and More

MINNEAPOLIS – Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was named a 2021 Defender of Children by the bipartisan advocacy organization Campaign for Children, which advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions. The award recognizes Rep. Omar's work to advance policies to improve the well-being of children. Only 40 members of the U.S. House of Representatives receive this distinction each year.

Campaign for Children's 2021 Legislative Scorecard ranks members of Congress according to votes and bill sponsorships taken during the 117th Congress that prioritize the well-being of our nation's children. The new report examines key pieces of legislation on children's mental and physical health, child hunger, homelessness, and poverty, treatment of immigrant children, environmental dangers to children and other issues critical to advancing the needs of our children and the families who care for them. Just 120 members of Congress in total, across both chambers and parties, were named Champions or Defenders for children in the 117th Congress.

"I am honored to be named a Defender of Children by the Campaign for Children, which works to center the needs of children in our legislative priorities," said Rep. Omar. "I will continue to fight to ensure all children have the resources they need to thrive including universal school meals, the elimination of school meal debt, and ending the over-policing in our K-12 schools. Now, more than ever, we need to invest in the future of our children."

In 2020, Rep. Omar passed the MEALS Act, a bill that directly authorized school meal waivers that protected students' access to school meal benefits during the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, she has previously sponsored legislation to make school meals universal to all children and eliminate all school meal debt. She has been a vocal advocate for the President's Build Back Better Agenda, which would expand childcare, school meals, paid leave, the child tax credit and more pro-family policies.

You can view the full list of winners here or download the full report here.

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