Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer is urging Congress against cutting food stamps in the upcoming farm bill.
But a letter the mayor signed also asks federal lawmakers to bar recipients from buying sodas and other sugary beverages.
The House is expected to vote on the legislation this week with the $80 billion Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, at the center of the debate. Republicans are pushing for $4 billion in cuts, but Democrats argue that could kick up to 2 million recipients off the food stamp rolls.
On Tuesday Fischer joined over a dozen other mayors in saying Congress should do more to combat obesity and create incentives for food stamp recipients to buy more fruits and vegetables.
Among those who signed the letter were New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who pushed to ban soda drinks in large sizes before a court ruling nixed the plan.
"Congress should direct the USDA to test policies that support healthful food choices and reduce consumption of products, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, that threaten the health of many Americans," the letter reads.