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Yesterday, I testified in Texas for a bill to eliminate sugary sodas and candy from SNAP eligibility. To my surprise, I found myself opposing the American Heart Association. This situation highlights the troubling incentives present in our most trusted health organizations.
@travelingenes - Grace Price🧬
Yesterday I testified in Texas for a bill to remove sugary sodas and candy from SNAP eligible items. You’ll never guess who I was fighting against… The American Heart Association. This is a prime example of the perverse incentives within our most trusted health institutions. Here’s the full story:
Video Transcript AI Summary
SB 379 aims to eliminate the purchase of cookies, soda, and candy with food stamps. The speaker testified in favor of the bill, arguing that America has an obesity crisis worsened by SNAP-funded soda and candy. They noted that tobacco and alcohol were previously removed from SNAP in 2014.
The American Heart Association opposed the bill, citing concerns about its potential impact on participation and population health, as well as issues with defining restricted items. The speaker expressed surprise at the American Heart Association's opposition, suggesting it may be linked to past donations from pharmaceutical and food companies like Kellogg's and Pepsi. The speaker supports the "Make America Healthy Again" movement and will provide updates on the bill's progress.
Full Transcript
Speaker 0: Yesterday, I testified at the Texas State Capitol for SB three seventy nine. SB three seventy nine is a necessary step to align Snap with its mission, which aims to eliminate cookies, soda, and candy from purchasing items under the food stamp program. You will not believe who actually showed up in opposition to this bill.
Speaker 1: My name is Alec Puente, and I'm the director of government relations for the American Heart Association. I'm here to testify in today in opposition to senate bill three seventy nine.
Speaker 0: The Heart Association. And I was not the only one who was surprised by this. That might be the surprise of the session so far. Here's what the American Heart Association representative had to say.
Speaker 1: The Heart Association is concerned about potential impacts of this bill on participation and population health. You know, we get we get into the other issues of how exactly we define a lot of these things.
Speaker 0: Here's what I was arguing for in my testimony for the bill. America has an obesity crisis, and products like soda and candy funded by Snap are making it worse. In 2014, we stood up against addictive products in Snap by removing tobacco and alcohol. Now a decade later, it is time we do the same for candy and soda. Although this shouldn't come as a huge surprise when we look at who the American Heart Association has accepted donations from in the past, which is largely big pharmaceutical companies and even big food companies like Kellogg's and Pepsi.
Thank you to senator Cole Kors for actually calling him out. I would encourage you to look at what it it restricts. This is why we need the make America healthy again movement now more than ever. I will keep you guys updated on this story. I'm still absolutely appalled that it's happening, but follow this account for more because if you want to understand what's actually happening behind the scenes, here's a real life example.