Rep. Brandon Gill asked Gina Plata-Nino, Director of SNAP Policy and Advocacy for the Food Research and Action Center, why her organization advocates that SNAP benefits cover sugary sodas like Coca-Cola, and eventually arrives at the questions: “Do organizations who profit off of food stamps fund your organization or businesses?” “Does General Mills fund your organization?” “I don’t have access to that information,” the witness said. “I do,” Gill said. “It’s right here. They do fund your organization. Do they profit off of food stamps?” “Retailers are the major beneficiaries. That’s where EBT dollars are utilized,” the witness said. “Yes, and they’re profiting off of your advocacy. Do you think that that’s a conflict of interest?” Gill asked, getting no response. “I think most people think that’s a conflict of interest. I know you don’t want to answer. My time is up.”

REP. BRANDON GILL: OK, Plata-Nino. Got a couple questions for you. Should SNAP dollars be spent on sodas? GINA PLATA-NINO: The purpose of the SNAP program is to provide families to have food and beverages. REP. BRANDON GILL: Should it be spent on sugary sodas? GINA PLATA-NINO: I am happy to talk about hunger and nutrition, but not dictate what Americans should or should not eat or may have access to. REP. BRANDON GILL: I’m asking if tax dollars should be used to pay for sodas. GINA PLATA-NINO: Taxpayers’ money should be utilized to ensure that individuals have access to the food that they need to survive or may be accessible to them. REP. BRANDON GILL: Do they need sugary sodas to survive? GINA PLATA-NINO: Some of them do, who do have low blood issues, who may have kidney issues. REP. BRANDON GILL: Is that right? You think they need Coca-Cola to survive? Do you think that’s the most appropriate use of our tax dollars? GINA PLATA-NINO: I am not a physician, but medical records and – REP. BRANDON GILL: You were just citing the health needs, apparently, of the American people. So do the American people need Coca-Cola to survive? GINA PLATA-NINO: I did not say that. REP. BRANDON GILL: I’m asking you. I’m giving you the opportunity to say yes or no. GINA PLATA-NINO: I will not answer for individuals and their choices. REP. BRANDON GILL: You think that there are some Americans who need Coca-Cola to survive? Is that your testimony? GINA PLATA-NINO: I am happy to talk about the food and – REP. BRANDON GILL: You just don’t know. You just don’t know. I think most people can rationally say that you don’t need Coca-Cola to survive. Wouldn’t you agree? GINA PLATA-NINO: I agree that we have a hunger crisis and that we need to address it, but ensuring that individuals have the food resources that they need – REP. BRANDON GILL: Got it. And one of those is sugary Coca-Cola. What does SNAP stand for? GINA PLATA-NINO: It’s a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. REP. BRANDON GILL: What’s nutritional about Coca-Cola? GINA PLATA-NINO: I am not a nutritionist. I am a food-security expert in ensuring that individuals have the food resources that they need. REP. BRANDON GILL: This is a common-sense question. All of these have been common-sense questions. I’m just asking you, is there nutritional value to sugary sodas? It’s a yes-or-no question. GINA PLATA-NINO: I am not an expert. I would have to look at the dietary guidelines. REP. BRANDON GILL: I don’t think that there’s nutritional value to sugary sodas. I think most people in this room would agree with that assessment. But you have no opinion? GINA PLATA-NINO: I’m here to talk about the food needs and the hunger crisis that individuals here in America are – REP. BRANDON GILL: You’re ideologically dug in that you want our taxpayers paying for sugary sodas, that you will not, in a straightforward way, admit that sugary sodas are not helpful for the American people. GINA PLATA-NINO: I think that focusing on soda when people are going hungry – REP. BRANDON GILL: We spend a lot of our – a lot of our tax dollars are spent on soda. That’s why I’m asking about it. And you appear to be so ideologically dug in that you won’t answer a simple question that that’s not an appropriate use of our tax dollars and that that does not, in fact, make the American people more healthy. GINA PLATA-NINO: I won’t answer because there’s no data sort of proving that. REP. BRANDON GILL: Do you need data to determine whether drinking soda is healthy? I’m sorry. It’s a serious question. Do you believe that perhaps drinking sodas every day is healthy? GINA PLATA-NINO: The worst health outcome is hunger when individuals don’t have the – REP. BRANDON GILL: Do you satiate hunger with Coca-Cola? GINA PLATA-NINO: I did not say that. REP. BRANDON GILL: But you said that the worst health outcome is hunger, and I’m asking you about sugary sodas. GINA PLATA-NINO: And I’m focusing on the nutrition needs and making sure that children have the resources – REP. BRANDON GILL: Is your organization funded by soft-drink makers? GINA PLATA-NINO: I am not in charge of development, but no. REP. BRANDON GILL: It’s not? OK. Is your organization funded by organizations that make money from food stamps? Do organizations that profit from food stamps fund your organization, or businesses? GINA PLATA-NINO: I mean, in the – I can’t comment to that. Happy to talk about the research that needed – REP. BRANDON GILL: Does General Mills fund your organization? GINA PLATA-NINO: I don’t have access to that information. REP. BRANDON GILL: I do. It’s right here. They do fund your organization. Do they profit off of food stamps? GINA PLATA-NINO: Retailers are the major beneficiaries. That’s where EBT dollars are utilized. REP. BRANDON GILL: Yes, and they’re profiting off of your advocacy. Do you think that that’s a conflict of interest? I think most people think that’s a conflict of interest. I know you don’t want to answer. My time is up.

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