Minnesota state Sen. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) speaks against House File 5, which would provide free school breakfast and lunch. (Screenshot via Minnesota Senate Media Services on YouTube)

Before voting against House File 5, a bill that would give schoolchildren free breakfast and lunch, Minnesota state Sen. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) contended Tuesday that he has never met a hungry person in Minnesota, and therefore the bill should be voted down.

“Mr. President, I have yet to meet a person in Minnesota that is hungry,” Drazkowski claimed. “Yet today. I have yet to meet a person in Minnesota that says they don’t have access to enough food to eat.”

The bill would provide free lunch and breakfast to all students no matter the income of their family. The legislation passed the Minnesota Senate shortly after Drazkowski’s tone deaf comments, in which he also argued the bill does not provide a definition of what hunger is.

“Now I should say that hunger is a relative term, Mr. President,” Drazkowski continued. “You know, I had a cereal bar for breakfast, I guess I’m ‘hungry’ now. That to some, maybe that’s the definition of the bill, I don’t know. I didn’t see a definition of hunger in the bill, Mr. President. But I think most reasonable people suggest hunger means you don’t have enough to eat in order to provide for metabolism and growth.”

The Minnesota DFL Party condemned Drazkowski’s comments after the session ended.

“DFL leaders are fighting to make sure no kids go hungry in Minnesota, and it is a shame that Republicans like Steve Drazkowski are ignoring and even mocking that important work,” DFL Party Communications Director Brian Evans said in a press release. “When Drazkowski says he has never met a hungry Minnesotan, he is either lying or he is deliberately ignoring the families in his district and across the state that are struggling. While Republicans revel in their ignorance and cruelty, DFLers are committed to improving the lives of Minnesotans across the state.”

The bill, which was drafted by Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL-Minneapolis), is aimed at providing financial relief for lower income households. According to the Minnesota House of Representatives, the state currently boasts a $17.6 billion budget surplus. The estimated cost of Jordan’s bill is $200 million annually.

HF 5 is expected to pass through Minnesota’s legislative branch and be signed by Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) when it reaches his desk.