Healthy SNAP Act of 2025
Congress Bill Would Limit SNAP Purchases by Requiring USDA to Set a Health-Based Approved Food List
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- Would change SNAP so the Agriculture Department decides which foods count as eligible “food.”
- Would explicitly make SNAP benefits unusable for alcohol, tobacco, soft drinks, candy, ice cream, and prepared desserts like cakes, pies, and cookies.
- Within 180 days of the law taking effect, the Agriculture Department would write rules listing the foods and food products allowed under SNAP.
- The agency would update the list at least every 5 years based on nutrition science, public health concerns, and cultural eating patterns.
- States could ask to swap in culturally important foods, but only if they are nutritionally equivalent and approved by the Agriculture Department.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
5 articlesSNAP bans on soda, candy and other foods take effect in five states Jan. 1
Explains new SNAP purchase restrictions taking effect in five states and situates them among repeated proposals to restrict SNAP items—context relevant to the Healthy SNAP Act’s approach.
SNAP restrictions on soda, candy, and more are coming in 2026 — here's what's changing by state
Roundup of 2026 state SNAP restrictions on sugary drinks/candy/desserts; helps contextualize the bill’s proposed category-based exclusions though not focused on the bill itself.
Republican bills put taxpayer-funded junk food on the chopping block
Covers multiple proposals restricting SNAP purchases and explicitly includes the Healthy SNAP Act of 2025 (soft drinks, candy, ice cream, prepared desserts; USDA review every 5 years).
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Healthy SNAP Act of 2025
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(6)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.