RFK Jr. visits Arizona to support bills aimed to 'Make America Healthy Again'
PHOENIX - Make America, and Arizona, Healthy Again.
That’s the theme of a news conference headlined by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. in Phoenix on April 8.
What we know:
He’s visiting after two health bills passed in Arizona's Senate.
Arizona Rep. Leo Biasiucci introduced both of the bills. HB 2164, which would get rid of processed foods in public schools, and HB 2165, which prohibits food stamp recipients from buying sodas.
He said he got the idea after traveling overseas and seeing how people in other countries eat.
He says the experience really opened his eyes to all the toxins, processed foods and additives in school lunches. He believes the ingredients are hurting the health of children.
'Make Arizona Healthy Again': RFK Jr. visiting Phoenix on April 8
RFK Jr.'s visit comes as the Arizona Senate is set to vote on two bills, with one of them potentially banning ultra-processed foods containing harmful additives from being served in public schools.
Big picture view:
RFK Jr. arrived in Arizona to give his support to the bills.
Rep. Biasiucci believes Arizona is a leader when it comes to the "Make America Healthy Again" agenda.
Let’s break down what these bills will do.
HB 2164 regulates Arizona public schools that participate in federally funded meal programs. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, these schools can no longer serve, sell or allow vendors to sell ultra-processed foods.
They define ultra-processed foods as those with many added ingredients such as sugar, salt, fat, and artificial colors or preservatives. Examples of these foods are frozen meals, soft drinks, hot dogs, cold cuts, fast food, packaged cookies, cakes, and salty snacks.
HB 2165 prohibits people using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP benefits, from buying soda. Soda is defined as any carbonated beverage containing more than one gram of added sugar or any artificial sweetener.
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The other side:
The "Make America Healthy Again" movement has gained a lot of traction because of this country’s skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Opponents argue that "Make America Healthy Again" solutions don’t address the root causes of America’s health crisis, which they say are caused by systemic issues like economic inequality, food insecurity, and underfunded public health systems.