Four Republican states are urging the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to let them ban soda, energy drinks, and candy from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a spokesperson confirmed on April 24.
The governors of Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, and Nebraska submitted requests to the agency for waivers that would allow such a ban, the spokesperson said.
Copies of the waivers have not yet been made available.
It comes shortly after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signaled they are in favor of stripping such treats from the food stamp program.
SNAP is a federal program that helps more than 42 million low-income Americans pay for food each month….