In a long-overdue move that puts common sense ahead of government waste, Texas lawmakers are pushing to stop taxpayer-funded food stamps from being used to buy soda, candy, chips, and other junk food. Senate Bill 379, championed by Republican State Sen. Mayes Middleton, would finally bring the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) back to its original purpose: helping low-income families afford nutritious food.
Middleton said it plainly: “The USDA’s stated purpose for the SNAP program is nutritious food essential to health and wellbeing. Well, junk food certainly doesn’t fit that purpose.”
And he’s absolutely right.
What’s the point of using hard-earned taxpayer dollars to subsidize empty calories and sugar crashes? If the government wants to promote health and reduce healthcare costs, the last thing it should be doing is enabling the purchase of energy drinks and Oreos with public assistance. It’s a no-brainer — unless, of course, you’re a progressive more concerned with “freedom to buy candy” than personal responsibility or actual public health.
Support for this effort isn’t just coming from the right. Democrats like State Rep. Richard Raymond have put forward similar bills in the Texas House, and even Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed interest in limiting ultra-processed foods in federal programs. When was the last time you saw conservatives, Democrats, and RFK Jr. agreeing on anything? That’s how you know the system is broken and ripe for reform.
Critics of the bill argue that SNAP recipients should have the freedom to buy whatever food they want, even if it’s junk. That argument falls flat. The government doesn’t fund alcohol or tobacco purchases with food stamps — and for good reason. Why should sugary soda and gas station snacks be any different?
Texas is doing what Washington won’t: standing up for responsible government spending and the health of American families. SNAP was never meant to be a taxpayer-funded trip through the junk food aisle. It’s time we get back to the basics — and Texas is leading the way.
