Republicans are trying to add dietary restrictions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), demanding to cut junk food and unhealthy beverages from the benefits.
The idea, spearheaded by Republican Representative Andy Harris of Maryland, is for individual states to test out limiting SNAP benefits to "only nutrient-dense foods and beverages." According to Harris, this restriction could fight rising obesity rates in the country and save money for the government, as data suggests that households receiving SNAP benefits spend a significant amount of it on what is generally considered junk food.
"SNAP must more effectively address the obesity crisis," Harris wrote in a joint-opinion piece published by The Hill last week. "Not only will nutrition reforms to SNAP improve the health of low-income Americans, they are necessary to help address the country's impending fiscal crisis."
Harris added that limiting junk food consumption could "help reduce the prevalence of obesity, which in turn would lower healthcare costs in the U.S. and help address the country's long-term fiscal challenges."
SNAP provides food benefits to millions of low-income families across the country. According to data for the 2022 fiscal year mentioned by the Pew Research Center, the program reached 41.2 million people in 21.6 million households in that year.
A recent study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture analyzing food expenditures for both SNAP beneficiary households and non-SNAP households found that for every dollar spent on food purchases, both spent about 20 percent of that on sweetened drinks, desserts, salty snacks, candy and sugar. About 40 percent was spent on basics like bread, milk, meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables.
Sweetened beverages were the second most-bought category for SNAP households after meat, poultry and seafood, and before vegetables. According to the department, more money was spent on soft drinks than any other item across all households, with SNAP households spending around 5 percent compared with non-SNAP households spending 4 percent.
Both SNAP and non-SNAP households were "equally likely" to purchase salty snacks (which accounted for roughly 3 percent of all food purchases), cookies (1 percent), ice cream, ice milk and sherbet (about 1 percent).
Harris's proposal could pass Congress this week as part of legislation that the lower chamber needs to approve to prevent a partial shutdown of the government on Friday, despite opposition from the food industry and Democrats.
Newsweek called Harris' Washington office for comment, but did not receive a response as it was outside standard working hours.
In a letter sent to lawmakers on February 20, the National Grocers Associations condemned the proposed restriction, saying that the idea of surveilling SNAP purchases was "troubling" and may push up food prices.
"Restricting eligible items to those approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will quickly drive-up food costs and strangle the program with needless red tape with no meaningful public health outcome to show in return," the letter reads.
"The government will need to categorize more than 600,000 products and update the list each year with thousands more products. Grocery store cashiers will become the food police, telling parents what they can and cannot feed their families."
Democrats are likely to reach a deal with Republicans over their request for funding a nutrition policy change, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC. WIC requires annual appropriations from lawmakers for funding.
A spokesperson for the USDA shared this written statement with Newsweek: "The Biden-Harris Administration has been vocal and steadfast in its call that final appropriations bills fully fund WIC, to allow the program to continue to serve all eligible pregnant women, mothers, infants, and children who apply.
"Without a commitment and action by Congress to fully fund this vital program, WIC participants, state agencies and the WIC clinics responsible for providing direct support for moms and kids face uncertainty.
"At the end of the day, this is a decision about values—this Administration is proud to fully support WIC and the critical benefits it provides for millions of mothers, babies and young kids, and it is past time that Congress steps up to the plate and commits to doing the same."
Update, 2/28/24 6:20 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from a USDA spokesperson.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek Reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. and European politics, global affairs ... Read more
