Should SNAP Benefits Pay for Sugary Soda

Should SNAP dollars be spent on sodas?

The purpose of the SNAP program is to provide families to have food and beverages.

Should it be sent on-- spent on sugary sodas?

I am happy to talk about hunger and nutrition, but not dictate what Americans should or should not eat or may have access to.

I'm asking if tax dollars should be used to pay for sodas.

Taxpayers' money should be utilized to ensure that individuals have access to the food that they need to survive or may be accessible to them.

Do they need sugary sodas to survive? Some of them do, who do have low blood issues, who may have- Is that right?

-who have kidney issues. You think they need Coca-Cola to survive?

Do you think that's the most appropriate use of our tax dollars?

I am not a physician, but medical records and expertise- You're, you're just citing the health needs apparently of, of the American people.

So, do the American people need Coca-Cola to survive?

I did not say that. I said then- I'm asking you.

I'm giving you the opportunity to say yes or no.

I will not answer for individuals and their, uh, choices.

You, you think that there are some Americans who need Coca-Cola to survive?

Is that your testimony? I am happy to talk about the food and nutrition needs- You don't, you just don't know. -that individuals have.

You just don't know. I think most people can rationally say that you don't need Coca-Cola to survive.

Wouldn't you agree? I agree that we have a hunger crisis and that we need to address it, but ensuring that individuals have the food resource that they need.

Got it. And one of those is sugary Coca-Cola.

What does, what does SNAP stand for? It's the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

What's nutritional about Coca-Cola?

I am not a nutritionist. I am a food security expert in ensuring that individuals have the food resources that they need.

I'm, I'm-- this is a common sense question.

All of these have been common sense questions.

I'm just asking you, is there nutritional value to sugary sodas?

There- It's a yes or no question.

I am not an expert. I would have to look at the dietary guidelines.

You're not an expert. I don't think that there's nutritional value to sugary sodas.

I think most people in this room would agree with that assessment.

But you, you have no opinion? I'm here to talk about the food needs and the hunger crisis that individuals here in America are facing.

Are you that ideologically dug in that you want our tax dollars paying for sugary sodas that you will not, in a straightforward way, admit that sugary sodas are not healthful for the American people?

I think that focusing on soda when people are going hungry- We spend a lot of our ta-- a lot of our tax dollars are spent on soda.

That's why I'm asking about it. We have- And you, you appear to be so ideologically dug in that you won't answer a simple question that that's not an appropriate use of our tax dollars and that that does not, in fact, make the American people more healthy.

I won't answer because there's no data sort of put proving that.

Do you need data to determine whether drinking soda is healthy?

I think- I'm sorry. It's a serious question.

Do you-- is, is there some, uh, do, do you believe that perhaps drinking sodas every day is healthy?

The worst health outcome is hunger. When individuals don't have the resources- Do you satiate hunger with Coca-Cola?

I did not say that. But you said that the worst health outcome is hunger, and I'm asking you about sugary sodas.

And I'm focusing on the nutrition needs and making sure that children have the resources- Is your organization funded by, um, soft drink makers?

I am not in charge of development, but no. It's not. Okay.

Is your, is your organization funded by, um, organizations that make money from food stamps?

Do, uh, organizations who profit off of food stamps fund your, your organization?

W- Or businesses? I mean, in the, in the-- I, I can't comment to that.

Happy to talk about the resources that need- Does General Mills fund, uh, your organization?

I don't have access to that information. I do.

It's right here. They do fund your organization.

Um, do they profit off of food stamps? Retailers are the major beneficiary.

Do you think that that's a conflict of interest?

That's where EBT dollars are utilized. Yes, and they're profiting off of your advocacy.

Do you think that that's a conflict of interest?

I think most people think that's a conflict of interest.

I know you don't want to answer. My time is up.