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By Aliss Higham
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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit recipients could soon be barred from purchasing junk food if a new bill is successful in Congress.
Why It Matters
SNAP benefits, also commonly known as "food stamps," are administered nationwide to low and no-income households that would otherwise struggle to purchase groceries at participating retailers. In 2023, the program served an average of 42.1 million people per month, or 12.6 percent of U.S. residents.
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What To Know
Republican Representative Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma has announced a bill—the Healthy SNAP Act—that would exclude "soft drinks, candy, ice cream and prepared desserts" from being purchased using SNAP benefits.
In a press release issued on January 16, Brecheen said more than 20 percent of all federal SNAP spending "goes towards the purchase of junk foods and sugary drinks," with sugary drinks alone make up 10 percent. He also said around 75 percent of adults and around 33 percent of children in the United States are currently overweight or obese.
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As it currently stands, SNAP benefits are eligible to buy a variety of foods, including fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy products, breads and cereals, as well as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages. It cannot be used to buy pre-prepared hot foods, alcohol and non-food items like household cleaning products.
Several other House Republicans are sponsoring the bill: Andy Biggs (Arizona), Michael Cloud (Texas), Paul Gosar (Arizona), Glenn Grothman (Wisconsin), Dan Meuser (Pennsylvania), Mary Miller (Illinois) and David Schweikert (Arizona).
Taking unhealthy foods off the roster of foods benefit recipients can buy using Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards has long been a priority of some Republican lawmakers, and the push has been renewed since President Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
Prior to Trump's inauguration on Monday, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and USDA Secretary-designate Brooke Rollins, calling for the government agencies to take action against SNAP benefits being allowed for purchase of "junk food," including "soda, unhealthy snacks, candy and dessert."
She said these food items "account for nearly 23 percent, or $25 billion, of all SNAP purchases" and that "given the relationship between junk food and poor health, our federal food assistance policies are fueling obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and a wide range of chronic health conditions across America."
What People Are Saying
Brecheen said in a press release: "President Trump has been given a mandate by the majority of Americans to Make America Healthy Again, and those in his administration, like RFK Jr. and Senator Marco Rubio, have directly advocated for eliminating junk food purchases with SNAP. If someone wants to buy junk food on their own dime, that's up to them. But what we're saying is, don't ask the taxpayer to pay for it and then also expect the taxpayer to pick up the tab for the resulting health consequences."
What's Next
Whether the bill has been formally introduced to Congress is not clear. Newsweek has contacted Brecheen's press team for clarification via email.
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