Congressman Thomas Massie sent shockwaves through Washington, D.C. when he backed a proposal that politicians have been afraid to touch for decades.
The Kentucky Republican isn’t backing down despite facing fierce pushback.
And Congressman Massie just joined forces with Trump’s Health Secretary to push one bold proposal that will have Big Soda seeing red.
Massie targets soda purchases with food stamps legislation
Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky ignited a firestorm when he backed legislation to end taxpayer subsidies for sugary sodas through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.
And Massie is putting legislative muscle behind his stance that taxpayer dollars shouldn’t fund unhealthy beverages as a cosponsor of the FIZZ-NO Act of 2025 (H.R. 813).
“People should not be allowed to use food stamps (EBT) to purchase sugary drinks like Coke and Pepsi,” Massie declared on X.
“Libertarian arguments about choice do not apply here. The money being used for EBT was extracted from taxpayers who have no choice in whether to give up their money,” the Kentucky Congressman added.
People should not be allowed to use food stamps (EBT) to purchase sugary drinks like Coke and Pepsi.
Libertarian arguments about choice do not apply here. The money being used for EBT was extracted from taxpayers who have no choice in whether to give up their money.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 24, 2025
Massie’s position aligns with newly confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been vocal about removing unhealthy items from the SNAP program.
RFK Jr. makes healthy food a priority
Kennedy has made nutrition and public health central to his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, specifically targeting the nearly $113 billion SNAP program that roughly 42 million Americans receive.
“The one place that I would say that we need to really change policy is the SNAP program and food stamps and in school lunches,” Kennedy told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. “There, the federal government in many cases is paying for it. And we shouldn’t be subsidizing people to eat poison.”
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has also signaled support for the initiative, questioning the use of taxpayer funds for unhealthy food choices.
“When a taxpayer is putting money into SNAP, are they OK with us using their tax dollars to feed really bad food and sugary drinks to children who perhaps need something more nutritious?” Rollins said. “These are all massive questions we’re going to be asking and working on in the coming months and years.”
Implementing changes faces significant hurdles
Changing SNAP rules isn’t as simple as it sounds. The program falls under the USDA, not HHS, and is governed by the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which allows benefits to be used for virtually all food products except alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared foods.
Excluding sodas or other items would require Congress to change the law or for states to receive special waivers.
Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, notes that over the past 20 years, lawmakers in several states have attempted to ban SNAP purchases of items like bottled water, soda, chips, ice cream, and even “luxury meats” like steak.
“None of those requests have ever been approved under either Republican or Democratic Presidents,” Bergh said.
Congress considering multiple bills to restrict purchases
The FIZZ-NO Act of 2025 (H.R. 813) is one of several bills currently pending in Congress and state legislatures that would restrict SNAP benefits from paying for soda, candy, and other items deemed unhealthy.
The FIZZ-NO Act of 2025 (H.R. 813) gets it right—taxpayer-funded programs shouldn’t subsidize sugary drinks that drive up healthcare costs. SNAP’s original purpose was to combat food insecurity, not fund Big Soda’s profits.
When 43% of SNAP households include someone with…
— DOGEai (@dogeai_gov) March 24, 2025
Rep. Josh Breechan, an Oklahoma Republican, has similarly sponsored the Healthy SNAP Act (H.R. 479) to address these concerns.
“If someone wants to buy junk food on their own dime, that’s up to them,” he said. “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.'”
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.
Read more about the Healthy SNAP Act in our… pic.twitter.com/aX5r8nzj88
— Congressman Josh Brecheen (@RepBrecheen) January 16, 2025
Health experts see opportunity for bipartisan action
Dr. Anand Parekh, chief medical officer of the Bipartisan Policy Center, believes the momentum behind Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement could spur a new focus on solutions to poor diets that account for leading risk factors for early disease and death.
“When we talk about the SNAP program, we have to remind people that the ‘N’ stands for nutrition,” Parekh said. “It’s about time that both parties can come together and see what are the innovations here to improve diet quality and nutrition.”
The average SNAP benefit amounts to about $187 per month – approximately $6.16 per day according to the latest figures.
Health costs continue to mount
As America faces a staggering obesity crisis, proponents argue the plan represents a commonsense step toward addressing public health concerns while respecting fiscal responsibility.
Studies show regular soda consumption dramatically increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay – all conditions that ultimately cost taxpayers billions in Medicaid and Medicare expenses.
The USDA has previously rejected restriction waivers, noting in a 2007 paper that no clear standards exist to define foods “as good or bad, or healthy or not healthy.” The agency also cited implementation difficulties and questioned whether restrictions would actually change recipients’ eating habits.
Massie and Kennedy’s push comes at a time when the Trump administration is placing renewed focus on the health of Americans through diet and nutrition policy.
