Texas Passes Landmark Health Laws with Trump and Kennedy Leading the Charge

Texas Health, Unsplash

The Texas House of Representatives has passed the Make Texas Healthy Again bill, targeting sugars and additives in food as part of the Trump administration’s broader push to Make America Healthy Again. The goal is to make nutrition clearer for families and encourage healthier lifestyles statewide. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now serving as Secretary of Health and Human Services, has been at the forefront of this national effort. Texas became the first state to take the lead by passing legislation requiring: 

• Warning labels on foods containing harmful additives and dyes, especially those banned or restricted in other countries. 

• Increased physical activity for students in school districts. 

According to Texas Scorecard, Governor Greg Abbott praised the achievement as a bipartisan success. 

“This is one of the most prolific bipartisan pieces of legislation that was passed this session,” Abbott said. “Doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat, Republican, whatever the case may be—every legislator in Texas wants to see Texas put on a pathway to be healthier, and these laws chart that pathway.” 

Abbott also credited Secretary Kennedy for sparking the national push: 

“There was a reason why the pathway opened up for Texas to even be able to go down this road, and that’s because of the effort that Secretary Kennedy began before he was Secretary—to galvanize an entire country, to galvanize the entire globe about the necessity of everybody living healthier lives.” 

Kennedy, in turn, praised Texas leaders: 

“You’re not only making Texas healthy again, you’re making America healthy. I want to thank Texas, the governor, and all these legislators for what you’ve done for the students of the Lone Star State, and for all the people across our country who are going to benefit from this legislation.” 

Ivermectin Made Available Over the Counter 

Another part of the health-focused session included legislation on ivermectin. Long used in veterinary medicine to treat parasites, ivermectin drew national attention during COVID-19 when many Americans turned to it as an alternative treatment. 

Texas’ new law, effective September 1, 2025, makes ivermectin available over the counter without a prescription. 

Not everyone supported the move. Democrat State Representative Rafael Anchia objected: 

“No major mainstream medical group has recommended that ivermectin be sold over the counter.” 

Since 2020, Democrats have strongly opposed ivermectin, calling it unsafe and a rejection of “expert” guidance. The CDC even issued an alert warning it was not FDA-approved for COVID, pointing to risks of misuse and accidental poisoning. But many Americans no longer trust the CDC or FDA. The rushed rollout of the COVID vaccine left voters skeptical of government-run health agencies that claimed to put public health first but appeared to prioritize politics instead.  

If Americans were taught anything in 2020, it is that the experts are not always right. That experience left many voters skeptical of institutions like the CDC and FDA, which were supposed to act as watchdogs for public health. Instead, they often appeared to act as gatekeepers for powerful interests. 

A Moment of Unity 

Despite disagreements, the health-focused bills, three in total, passed with strong support. At the signing ceremony, the mood was celebratory. 

Sneak peek in the room before @GregAbbott_TX arrives to sign SB17!! pic.twitter.com/HzGOjtjBKn

— Shelley Luther (@ShelleyLuther) August 26, 2025

Stewardship of Our Bodies 

For Christians, these efforts touch on more than politics, they speak to stewardship. Scripture teaches that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Legislation like this should encourage us to live in ways that honor God by knowing what we put into our bodies. 

Ultimately, the government can help by providing guardrails, but the daily choice rests with each of us. A healthier nation begins with faithful individuals choosing wisely. While it may seem like a simple thing, it’s challenging to live life to the fullest when you are ill and cannot move.  

Contacting your representatives should be easy, but there are myriad ways they can ignore your messages. That’s where we come in.   

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