STOP Act

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Stopping Taxpayer Outlays for 
Propaganda Act'' or the ``STOP Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to a study from Education Week and the 
        Journal of the American Medical Association fewer than 4 in 10 
        elementary-aged children achieved the recommended guidelines 
        for physical activity (60 minutes per day of moderate to 
        vigorous activity) and television viewing (less than 2 hours 
        per day of television screen time). As children get older, 
        their prevalence of sedentary behavior increased.
            (2) During the 1950s, the United States began experiencing 
        a physical inactivity crisis. The issue garnered sufficient 
        attention that the Eisenhower Administration expressed concern 
        about the United States meeting its Cold War military manpower 
        needs. In response, the President's Council on Physical Fitness 
        and Sports was established in 1956 under the name of the 
        ``President's Council on Youth Fitness''. Today, only one state 
        (Illinois) requires daily P.E. for grades K-12.
            (3) A 2009 study published in a supplement to the 
        International Journal of Obesity found no association between 
        particular segments of the diet and subsequent weight gain. 
        Another key point from the study is that obesity is a complex, 
        multifactorial issue that can be caused in part by genetic 
        susceptibility, behavior, and level of physical activity.
            (4) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states 
        the fundamental rule of weight management is to consume less 
        calories than one expends. Studies have shown one way to limit 
        the number of calories a person consumes is by controlling 
        portion size.
            (5) According to Time's Health and Family, foods that are 
        not inherently healthy can still be eaten, but they should only 
        be consumed in moderation. A 1999 study found that ``flexible 
        dieting'' was associated with less overeating and lower body 
        weight then ``strict dieting.''
            (6) The correlation between physical activity and longevity 
        is well documented. According to ``Exercise is Medicine'', 
        sponsored by the American College of Sports Medicine, regular, 
        moderate physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease by 
        40 percent, lowers the risk of stroke by 27 percent, reduces 
        the incidence of high blood pressure by almost 50 percent, 
        reduces the incidence of diabetes by 50 percent, can reduce 
        mortality and the risk of recurrent breast cancer by almost 50 
        percent, can lower the risk of colon cancer by over 60 percent, 
        can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease by one 
        third, and can decrease depression as effectively as 
        medications or behavioral therapy.
            (7) A 2005 review published in Obesity Reviews found that 
        increasing physical activity participation and decreasing 
        television viewing should be the focus of strategies aimed at 
        preventing and treating overweight and obesity in youth. The 
        authors compared estimates of the prevalence of overweight 
        among school-aged youth in 34 countries and examined 
        associations between overweight and selected dietary and 
        physical activity patterns.
            (8) According to Full Service Restaurant Magazine, several 
        chain restaurants now offer their customers the option of 
        smaller portions of customer favorites. T.G.I. Friday's, for 
        example, offers the ``Right Portion, Right Price'' menu while 
        California Pizza Kitchen has a ``Smaller Cravings'' program.
            (9) As told by the New York Times, McDonald's restaurants 
        in September 2012 began posting calorie information on the 
        large menus inside their restaurants. McDonald's also lists 
        items that have 400 calories or less in its ``Favorites Under 
        400'' menu.
            (10) According to Reuters, in 2010, Panera Bread became the 
        first national restaurant chain to voluntarily post calorie 
        information on their menus. Subway restaurants have also 
        voluntarily made their calorie information accessible to the 
        public.
            (11) Reported by the New York Times, non-alcoholic beverage 
        companies such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper Snapple, and 
        Sunny D are revamping vending offerings and posting caloric 
        information on the front of every can, bottle, and pack. In 
        addition, these companies have removed full-calorie soft drinks 
        from the nation's schools and continue to provide consumers 
        with calorie information, a variety of choices, and smaller 
        portions.

SEC. 3. FUNDING RESTRICTION.

    No part of any appropriation contained in any Act may be used for 
print, radio, television or any other media advertisement, campaign, or 
form of publicity against the use of a food or non-alcoholic beverage 
that is lawfully marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.).

Summary: Stopping Taxpayer Outlays for Propaganda Act or STOP Act - Prohibits the use of any part of any appropriation contained in any Act for print, radio, television or any other media advertisement, campaign, or form of publicity against the use of a food or non-alcoholic beverage that is lawfully marketed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.