Major Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida, bringing with it devastating storm surge, winds, and inland flooding. The Seminole Tribe of Florida should have access to the federal resources required for emergency response and recovery preparations on...
Major Hurricane Milton is forecasted to potentially hinder or obstruct the Port of Tampa Bay, which receives more than 40 percent of Florida’s petroleum products. It’s crucial for the federal government to expedite all requested measures to protect Florida’s economy...
Major Hurricane Milton is forecasted to impact Florida with devastating storm surge, winds, and inland flooding. After just being hit by Hurricane Helene, it’s crucial for the State of Florida to have the support of the federal government. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio...
This year marks the first anniversary of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks against Israel. 32 Americans died in those attacks, and four of the Americans taken hostage that day remain in captivity. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a video remembering the...
Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s gulf coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with the Florida Farm Bureau as well as local agricultural producers, farmers, and growers to discuss the storm’s impact. Photos are courtesy of...
Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with local officials and volunteers from the barrier islands to discuss the storm’s impact and current recovery efforts. Photos are courtesy of...
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) should be for helping eligible Americans afford food and remedy nutrient deficiencies, just like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has done successfully for many years. However, more than 20 percent of program funds are used to purchase empty calories rather than nutritious food.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Healthy SNAP Act to make diet quality a primary objective of the SNAP program, just like WIC. This would exclude junk foods, like soda and prepared desserts, from being purchased with SNAP funds and instead reorient the program toward healthy, nutritious food.
Senator Rubio recently authored an op-ed on the matter, stating:
“By the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) own admission, unhealthy foods and beverages account for more than 20 percent of all SNAP spending. This is obviously bad for taxpayers, who are projected to spend $240 billion on junk food, with more than $60 billion going exclusively to soda, over the next decade. But equally important are the health consequences for those relying on a program that is meant to supplement their nutrition. After all, there is nothing “nutritious” about a two-liter bottle of soda, a bag of chips, or an ice cream cake.
“Such a commonsense reform would promote healthier diets at no additional cost to the American people and, in the long run, reduce medical expenses. It would also begin to address the problem of food deserts in low-income neighborhoods. If soft drinks and sweets are no longer SNAP-eligible, corner stores and supermarkets will have more of an incentive to stock healthier foods.”
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