HM 581 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hm0581-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
House Memorial 1
A memorial to the Congress of the United States, 2
urging Congress to prohibit the use of Supplemental 3
Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to purchase soft 4
drinks. 5
6
WHEREAS, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 7
(SNAP) offers nutrition assistance to eligible, low -income 8
individuals and families in the form of funds to purchase 9
eligible food, and 10
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Service, under the United 11
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), administers SNAP, and 12
the Florida Department of Children and Families distributes the 13
benefits, and 14
WHEREAS, SNAP benefits may be used to purchase any food or 15
food product intended for human consumption, including soft 16
drinks, but may not be used to purchase alcoholic beverages, 17
tobacco, hot foods, and hot food products prepared for immediate 18
consumption, and 19
WHEREAS, soft drinks are nutrient poor but rich in calories 20
and can lead to nutritional deficiencies and health disorders 21
including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and 22
diabetes, and 23
WHEREAS, state and local governments have requested 24
permission from the USDA for waivers to prohibit SNAP 25
HM 581 2023
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hm0581-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
participants from purchasing soft drinks with their benefits as 26
a way to promote healthy choices, and 27
WHEREAS, the USDA has denied every such request, NOW, 28
THEREFORE, 29
30
Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 31
32
That the United States Congress is requested to prohibit 33
recipients of benefits under t he Supplemental Nutrition 34
Assistance Program (SNAP), 7 U.S.C. ss. 2011 et seq., from using 35
SNAP benefits to purchase flavored carbonated beverages 36
sweetened with natural or artificial sweeteners, also known as 37
"soft drinks." 38
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that th e Secretary of State dispatch 39
copies of this memorial to the President of the United States, 40
to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of 41
the United States House of Representatives, and to each member 42
of the Florida delegation to the Uni ted States Congress. 43