Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed waivers for six more states this week that authorize them to ban the purchase of soda and junk food through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, more commonly known as food stamps. Twelve states have now received such waivers through President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again agenda, including one Democratic state. Republicans in Congress should build on this bipartisan progress and ban the purchase of soda and junk food with SNAP benefits nationwide.
First established by the Food Stamp Act of 1964 and known as the Food Stamp Program until it was renamed in 2008, SNAP has always banned certain items from being purchased with program benefits, including alcohol, tobacco, prepared meals, and personal care products. The new waivers allow states that participate to add sugar-sweetened beverages, confectionery products, snack foods with minimal nutritional value, and “foods high in added sugars, fats, and sodium” to the list.
The number of people dependent on SNAP fell during Trump’s first term, but then rose under Biden. Almost 42 million people use SNAP, up from 40 million when Trump left office in 2021 and up from just 28 million at the beginning of former President Barack Obama’s first term. It is estimated that over 20% of all SNAP benefits are spent on soda and other junk food items. The health effects of these purchases run counter to the purpose of the SNAP program. SNAP supposedly exists to improve the health and well-being of those in need. Instead, SNAP is enabling the consumption of over $24 billion worth of junk food annually, harming the health of some of our most vulnerable citizens. Obesity and chronic disease cost our health system nearly $173 billion a year, and obesity is most prevalent among people with low incomes. It is time for taxpayers to stop subsidizing detrimental health choices.
Previously, six states had already signed the Trump administration’s food stamp MAHA waivers, including Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, and Utah, all Republican states. This week, they were joined by the Republican states of Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Texas.
Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) made the movement bipartisan, noting that, “Today’s waiver is a big step toward improving the health of Coloradans, and reducing obesity rates, diabetes, and tooth decay. Because many local grocers make stocking decisions in part based on SNAP eligibility, I’m confident that this waiver will also help reduce food deserts in Colorado by reducing shelf space for soda and increasing it for other nutritional food products eligible for SNAP.”
Republicans in Congress should try to build off of Polis’s bipartisan goodwill and pass legislation that would ban the purchase of junk food with SNAP benefits nationwide. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) have already introduced the Healthy SNAP Act that would do exactly that.
“American tax dollars should not be used to pay for junk food and endanger the health of the most vulnerable Americans,” Lee said in a statement when releasing the bill. “The fastest way to Make America Healthy Again is to encourage balanced diets and stop subsidizing unhealthy food choices. The Healthy SNAP Act is a solid step forward in building a society where all families can enjoy strength, health, and good nutrition.”
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“President Trump has been given a mandate by the majority of Americans to Make America Healthy Again,” Brecheen added. “This legislation advances President Trump’s agenda by ensuring that SNAP is used for nutritious foods, rather than junk foods and soda that contribute to long-term health issues.”
Democrats in Congress should follow Polis’s lead and work with Lee and Brecheen to make the MAHA SNAP junk food ban permanent nationwide. Taxpayer dollars should support nutritious food, not fund billions in soda and candy purchases that worsen obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. The Healthy SNAP Act offers a commonsense, cost-saving reform that protects public health and restores the integrity of the program. Lawmakers should seize this opportunity to deliver lasting, meaningful reform that benefits families and the nation.