Austin, Texas – Texas became the last state to promulgate a large amount of public health measures promoted by the “Make America Again Again” agenda of the Trump administration with new laws that point to additives and sugary foods.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., praised the legislature on Wednesday when governor Greg Abbott joined in a signature ceremony for a trio of bill inspired by Maha.
“There are no states, with the possible exception of Louisiana, which have made more long -range legislation than this, and there is no state that will fight for a tougher battle to get here,” said Kennedy, and added that Texas is “leading the nation” in his impulse of Maha.
Abbott said: “Texas is doing its part to make Texas again healthy by the laws I am signing today.”
One of the measures will implement radical requirements of physical education and nutrition in public schools, in addition to requiring a marked warning of food products containing any of the 44 additives that the State has identified as harmful.
The warning will apply to food manufacturers that use additives such as bleached flour, partially hydrogenated oil and many common food dyes. From 2027, they must include a prominent label in those products that read: “Warning: this product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union or the United Kingdom.”
The state Senate unanimously approved the draft labeling law, which received an overwhelming bipartisan support in the Chamber.
Another bill is registered in the law prohibits the beneficiaries of the benefits of the supplementary nutritional assistance program, commonly known as food coupons, for using the funds for sweetened and sweet drinks, a plan that caused the anger of state food banks, but was also approved with bipartisan support.
“Taxpayers’ dollars should not be used to finance chronic health problems in our state,” said Abbott.
The third bill requires that school districts eliminate certain additives from free and reduced price school lunches.
Maha in the United States
Kennedy’s proposals have been more successful at the state level than in Washington, where legislation would require the support of Senate Democrats. He has argued that states can help achieve Maha’s objectives by pressing food manufacturers to change their practices nationwide.
“I told President Trump that we are going to put an end to the epidemic of chronic diseases. We cannot do it from Washington,” Kennedy said Wednesday.
“Food companies come to us: 40% of food manufacturers agreed to eliminate the nine oil -based synthetic dyes from their food. Why did they do that? They didn’t do it because they are afraid of me. They did it because they are afraid of what is happening here in Texas today,” he said.
But Texas is still remarkably late in many critical public health metrics, particularly health insurance: it has the highest rate without insurance in the country.
Kennedy hopes that Texas can do more to advance in her policy goals, specifically in Ivermectina. Its most common use is in cattle, but Kennedy has promoted it for possible alternative uses to treat the coronavirus, and wants to clear the way for the ivermectin to be purchased at the counter.
A bill to do what the Texas Chamber approved in a mostly vote of the match line on Wednesday.
“I think it’s a really good bill,” Kennedy said. “I think Americans should have the option.”
