Funding is Zero for Zero Nutrition Options (FIZZ-NO) Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 813

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.

Last Updated

2026-06-11T23:26:43Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The FIZZ-NO Act of 2025 aims to promote healthier food choices among low-income individuals by restricting the use of federal food assistance benefits for purchasing soda, which is viewed as having little nutritional value.

Key Provisions

• Prohibition on Soda Purchases: Amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to explicitly ban the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits—commonly known as food stamps—for buying soda. This adds "soda" to the existing list of ineligible items, which already includes alcoholic beverages and tobacco.
• Definition of Soda: Introduces a new subsection defining "soda" as any carbonated beverage containing more than 1 gram of added sugar, artificial sweetener, or flavoring per serving. This helps clarify what qualifies as prohibited.
• Effective Date: The changes take effect 180 days after the bill is signed into law, allowing time for implementation.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands the list of disqualified food items under SNAP in Section 3(k) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012), which previously did not specifically mention soda.
• Adds a precise definition for "soda" as a new subsection (r-1), providing legal clarity that was absent before and preventing loopholes for similar beverages.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees SNAP, may need to update guidance, train retailers, and enhance monitoring systems to enforce the ban, potentially increasing administrative costs initially.
• On Citizens: SNAP recipients (about 42 million low-income Americans) will lose the ability to use benefits for soda, which could encourage purchases of more nutritious options but might strain budgets for those relying on affordable beverages. Retailers must refuse SNAP payments for qualifying sodas, possibly affecting store operations.
• On International Relations: No direct impact, as this is a domestic welfare policy focused on U.S. food assistance.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• SNAP Participants: Low-income families and individuals who use benefits for groceries, facing reduced choices for beverages.
• Food Retailers: Grocery stores and vendors that accept SNAP, requiring them to adjust point-of-sale systems and inventory handling.
• Government Entities: USDA and state agencies administering SNAP, responsible for enforcement and education.
• Health Advocates and Food Industry: Nutrition groups may support it for promoting healthier diets, while beverage manufacturers (e.g., soda producers) could oppose it due to lost sales.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens SNAP's focus on nutrition by closing a gap in prohibited items, but the specific sugar/sweetener threshold (1 gram per serving) could lead to future litigation over interpretations or exemptions for borderline products.
• Constitutional: Likely uncontroversial, as Congress has broad authority to set conditions on federal spending programs like SNAP without infringing on personal freedoms, similar to existing bans on non-food items.
• Political: Could spark debates on government role in dictating food choices versus protecting taxpayer-funded programs from "unhealthy" spending; it aligns with broader efforts to combat obesity but may face resistance from those viewing it as paternalistic or burdensome for the poor.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2], Rep. Davidson, Warren [R-OH-8], Rep. Massie, Thomas [R-KY-4]

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-28: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
• 2025-01-28: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
• 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
• 2025-01-28: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Funding is Zero for Zero Nutrition Options (FIZZ-NO) Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (2 pages)