Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted against a Senate amendment that would ban the purchase of junk food using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The amendment was part of the Nutritious SNAP Act of 2025, a bill introduced by Senator Rand Paul to restrict taxpayer funds from being spent on soda and snack items. [1]
The Senate successfully tabled the amendment. This vote keeps foods like snack cakes and soft drinks on the list of approved grocery items for the program. [2]
Paul expressed his frustration with the outcome of the vote online. He noted the specific items that his colleagues chose to protect.
“These senators voted to keep taxpayer-funded junk food on the SNAP menu. They tabled my amendment to ban Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, soda, and more,” Paul said. [3]
“These senators voted to keep taxpayer-funded junk food on the SNAP menu.”
Promoting Health and Wellness
The broader legislation outlines exactly what types of drinks would be permitted under the new rules. SNAP benefits would be limited to nonalcoholic beverages such as water, cow’s milk, 100% juice, and milk substitutes like almond or soy milk. [4]
The bill focuses heavily on reducing chronic disease by changing how nutrition assistance is utilized. Paul explained the primary goal of the legislation on social media. [5]
“I’ve introduced the Nutritious SNAP Act. It prohibits SNAP funds from being used to buy junk food because subsidized groceries should support health & wellness, not chronic disease,” Paul stated. [6]
Restricting Accessory Foods
Under the proposed act, any dessert or snack food included on the Food and Nutrition Service’s Accessory Foods List would be banned from purchase. [7] This specific list went into effect on March 5, 2018.
Prohibited items on the list include potato chips, tortilla chips, candy, and ice cream. Packaged baking mixes for muffins, brownies, and cakes are also strictly prohibited under the bill’s language.
The legislation also grants individual states more control over the program. If a state agency requests it, the Department of Agriculture must allow that state to ban additional foods determined to be unhealthy by the local nutrition agency.
Contrast
And yet, with all of the benefits these new regulations would bring, Missouri Senator Hawley voted across party lines against these changes.
Notes:
- ^United States Congress. (2025). S.1100 – Nutritious SNAP Act of 2025. U.S. Government. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1100/all-info (go back ↩)
- ^Malone, R. (2026). Post on X. X. Retrieved from https://x.com/RWMaloneMD/status/2080026225347551257 (go back ↩)
- ^Ibid. (go back ↩)
- ^United States Congress. (2025). S.1100 – Nutritious SNAP Act of 2025. U.S. Government. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1100/all-info (go back ↩)
- ^Paul, R. (2026). Post on Facebook. Facebook. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/SenatorRandPaul/posts/ive-introduced-the-nutritious-snap-act-it-prohibits-snap-funds-from-being-used-t/1489115549243380/ (go back ↩)
- ^Ibid. (go back ↩)
- ^United States Congress. (2025). S.1100 – Nutritious SNAP Act of 2025. U.S. Government. Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1100/all-info (go back ↩)
