Federal Court Cancels USDA Power to Limit SNAP Food Purchases
聯邦法院取消美國農業部限制 SNAP 食品購買的權力
Introduction
A U.S. District Court judge has stopped a Trump administration policy that allowed states to prevent SNAP users from buying sugary drinks and candy.
一名美國地區法院法官停止了川普政府的一項政策，該政策原本允許各州阻止 SNAP 用戶購買含糖飲料與糖果。
Main Body
Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) went beyond its legal power. She stated that the USDA cannot change the definition of 'food' created by Congress in the Food and Nutrition Act. While the government wants to improve public health, the court emphasized that these goals do not give the agency the right to ignore congressional laws or remove specific food groups from the program. Historically, SNAP benefits have been used for all foods for human consumption, except for alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared meals.
法官 Amy Berman Jackson 裁定美國農業部（USDA）超越了其法律權限。她指出，USDA 不能更改國會在《食物與營養法案》中定義的「食品」。雖然政府希望改善公眾健康，但法院強調這些目標並不賦予該機構無視國會法律或將特定食品類別排除在計劃之外的權利。從歷史上看，SNAP 福利可用於所有供人食用的食品，但酒精、菸草和熱食熟食除外。
This legal case was started by SNAP recipients in five states, represented by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. The plaintiffs argued that these limits would make it harder to access food and create confusion for people with chronic illnesses. Although the ruling focuses on five states, it affects 23 states—including Texas and Florida—that had permission to run similar programs. These programs differed in scope, with some focusing only on soft drinks and others on a wider range of sugary items.
此法律案件是由五個州的 SNAP 受益者發起，並由國家法律與經濟正義中心代表。原告主張這些限制將增加獲取食物的困難，並給患有慢性疾病的人帶來困惑。雖然裁決集中在五個州，但它影響了 23 個州（包括德州和佛羅里達州），因為這些州此前獲准執行類似計劃。這些計劃的範圍有所不同，有些僅側重於軟飲料，有些則涵蓋更廣泛的含糖產品。
From a policy view, these limits were part of the 'Make America Healthy Again' initiative. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary Brooke Rollins asserted that the measures were necessary to reduce obesity and diabetes. They argued that taxpayer money should not be used for products that cause chronic disease. However, advocacy groups suggest that this ruling creates a legal path to challenge other USDA restrictions based on the same legal arguments.
從政策角度來看，這些限制是「讓美國再次健康」倡議的一部分。部長 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 與部長 Brooke Rollins 堅稱，這些措施對於減少肥胖與糖尿病至關重要。他們認為，納稅人的錢不應被用於購買導致慢性疾病的產品。然而，倡議團體認為，此裁決為根據相同法律論據挑戰其他 USDA 限制開闢了法律路徑。
Conclusion
The ruling returns the program to its original federal guidelines, although the USDA has indicated it may look for other legal ways to limit unhealthy food purchases.
該裁決使計劃回歸原有的聯邦指南，儘管 USDA 表示可能會尋找其他法律途徑來限制購買不健康食品。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The 'Power Shift': From Basic Verbs to B2 Precision
At the A2 level, you use words like say, do, or stop. But to hit B2, you need to describe actions with authority. Look at how this text describes a legal battle. It doesn't just say "the judge stopped the law"; it uses specific verbs that change the entire mood of the sentence.
🛠️ The Upgrade Path
| A2 Basic Verb | B2 Power Verb (from text) | Why it's better |
|---|---|---|
| Stop | Cancel / Prevent | Cancel is official; Prevent is about stopping something before it happens. |
| Say | Assert / State | Assert shows strong confidence; State is a formal declaration. |
| Change | Limit / Restrict | These specify that the change is about reducing options. |
| Start | Initiate / Launch | Used for formal processes or government programs. |
🧠 The Logic of "Beyond its Power"
One phrase in the article is a goldmine for B2 fluency: "went beyond its legal power."
In A2, you might say: "The USDA did something it wasn't allowed to do." (Correct, but simple).
To sound B2, use the [Subject] + [Go Beyond] + [Boundary/Limit] structure. This allows you to talk about rules, budgets, and expectations:
- "The project went beyond the original budget."
- "The teacher's demands went beyond the syllabus."
⚠️ A Quick Warning: "Although" vs "But"
The text uses "Although the ruling focuses on five states...".
Stop starting every contrast sentence with But. Use Although at the beginning of the sentence to create a complex structure. This is the fastest way to signal to an examiner that you have moved past the A2 plateau.
Pattern: Although [Fact A], [Surprising Fact B].
Example: Although it is raining, I will go for a walk.