AUSTIN, Texas. Grace Price is being celebrated for calling out the American Heart Association’s shameful stance on a Texas bill that would stop SNAP benefits from covering candy and soda. Her March 12, post on X laid it bare:
Yesterday I testified in Texas for a bill to remove sugary sodas and candy from SNAP eligible items. You’ll never guess who I was fighting against… The American Heart Association. This is a prime example of the perverse incentives within our most trusted health institutions.
The AHA sent a lobbyist to fight Senate Bill 379, a common-sense measure to curb heart disease by cutting junk food from food stamps. Grace, a genetics researcher with a knack for exposing health policy failures, testified before the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on March 11, pushing for the bill. She’s right to be disgusted, and the AHA’s actions here are a disgrace.
Senate Bill 379, led by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, aims to make SNAP about nutrition, not sugar highs. It’s not a new idea—Texas has tried for a decade to ban junk food from SNAP, and nine other states pushed similar bills in 2025.
None have passed both chambers or gotten USDA approval, but the need is clear. Sugary drinks and snacks fuel obesity and heart disease, yet the AHA, an organization supposedly dedicated to heart health, stood in the way.
Their lobbyist, Alec Puente, claimed at the hearing that the bill might hurt SNAP participation rates. That’s a weak excuse, and it doesn’t hold up when you follow the money.
Grace pointed out the AHA’s dirty secret: they take big bucks from PepsiCo and Kellogg’s, companies whose profits would tank if SNAP stopped funding their products.
The AHA’s Second Century Campaign Cornerstones list confirms it—over $1 million each from PepsiCo, Kellogg’s, and even drug giants like Pfizer. This isn’t new for them. Back in 1948, Procter & Gamble gave the AHA $1.7 million, and in return, the group endorsed Crisco as "heart healthy," kicking off the seed oil craze while chronic disease soared.
A 2016 Washington Post study found PepsiCo and Coca-Cola sponsored 96 health groups, including the AHA, all while fighting soda taxes. It’s a pattern of putting cash over care.
The AHA’s claim that SNAP restrictions might reduce participation is laughable. Yale Budget Lab estimates the bill could raise household costs by $2,700 to $3,400 a year due to price shifts, but that’s a small price for healthier options.
The AHA should be championing this, not obstructing it. Their backtrack on March 23, calling the opposition a "miscommunication" by their lobbyist, per the Daily Wire, only proves they got caught.
It’s not a misstep; it’s who they are—an organization more loyal to corporate donors than the public they claim to serve.
Grace’s fight isn’t just about Texas. It’s about exposing a broken system where trusted health groups sell out. She’s been relentless, testifying against the AHA’s perverse incentives and rallying support from figures like Sen. Kolkhorst, who’s standing firm for Texas kids.
The AHA’s history shows they’ll push motor oil in grocery stores if the check clears—look at their Crisco endorsement. They’ve got no credibility left.
This bill could save lives by cutting the junk that’s killing us. Grace gets that, and she’s not afraid to say it. The AHA’s opposition isn’t about science or access; it’s about protecting their bottom line. They’re a heart health group in name only, and their actions here prove it. Grace Price is the real deal, fighting for what’s right while the AHA hides behind excuses. It’s time we listen to her, not them.
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