Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Republican West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey touted a number of aggressive health-focused reforms during a Friday rally in Morrisey’s state.
Celebrating his signing of a bill which bans seven synthetic food dyes, Morrisey also signed waivers to request that the federal government make major reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Morrisey told the West Virginia crowd that he wanted to implement “work, training and education requirements for SNAP recipients.” He also signed a waiver which requested that the government remove soda, the most-purchased SNAP item, from the program.
“If taxpayers are paying for it, let’s make sure it fuels health, not disease,” Morrisey said.
Morrisey also poked fun at himself, noting that he hasn’t made the best health choices but vowing to do better. Kennedy Jr. picked up on the comic thread and joked that he was going to put Morrisey on a carnivore diet and make him do monthly weigh-ins.
“I think that’s a little more than I bargained for!” Morrisey joked.
RFK Jr jokes that he’s going to put WV Gov. Patrick Morrisey on a carnivore diet and make him do a public weigh-in once a month 😂
“I think that’s a little more than I bargained for!” Morrisey chimes in. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/pad6GEctxl
— Rob (@RobMcGravytrain) March 28, 2025
Soda lobbyists have pushed hard to combat the reforms, according to Kennedy Jr. (RELATED: MAGA Influencers Allegedly Rewarded To Publicly Oppose Newest RFK Jr. Initiative To Make Americans Healthy)
The cabinet secretary told the crowd that the soda lobby met with Morrisey to try and convince him not to pass the legislation. He also said food lobbyists have visited him to protest reforms.
“They’re terrified of this, of what you’re doing,” he said about the food dye ban.
RFK JR: “The food companies all came and met with me two weeks ago, and they’re scared of me … They said tell us what you want, we’re going to do it … but stop these governors from passing these laws … banning food dyes” pic.twitter.com/imENWmncuF
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) March 28, 2025
Numerous other states have suggested similar SNAP reforms to the ones Morrisey is requesting. At the federal level, Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee and Republican Oklahoma Rep. Josh Brecheen reintroduced the SNAP Reform and Upward Mobility Act (SRUMA) on Thursday, the Daily Caller News Foundation first reported. SRUMA would require food stamp recipients between the ages of 18 and 64 to work while on the program.
While other states have suggested work requirements or taking soda off of SNAP, West Virginia, which ranks as the most obese state in America, appears to be the first state taking action to propose both.
Kennedy Jr. encouraged other states to follow Morrisey’s lead. “Get in line behind Governor Morrisey and apply for a SNAP waiver to my agency, and we’re gonna give it to you,” he said.
Then, RFK Jr. urged “all the other Governors” to do exactly what Big Food asked him not to do.
“Get in line behind Governor Morrisey and apply for a SNAP waiver to my agency, and we’re gonna give it to you.” pic.twitter.com/1ZN4F6TrEi
— Holden Culotta (@Holden_Culotta) March 28, 2025
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