<p>To The Joint Committee on Taxation,</p><p>According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults are obese in the U.S. alone. Further, obesity-related heart disease and diabetes are among the leading health problems Americans face today. While there are several factors that contribute to obesity and obesity-related illness, there is a growing body of evidence that reveals sugary beverages are a major contributor to the global obesity epidemic.</p><p>Many beverages with added sugar contain more sugar in each bottle than the American Heart Association's (AHA) daily recommended limit. A 2009 report from the AHA revealed that soft drinks and sugar sweetened beverages are the largest contributors of added sugars in Americans' diets. That same year, the cost of treating obesity-related medical issues was estimated to be almost $147 billion.</p><p>This problem is affecting our nation's children, as well. Analyses of middle school children depicted a 60% increase in obesity risk for every additional serving of sugary beverages consumed each day.</p><p>This needs to stop.</p><p>If you levied a national tax on beverages that contain added sugars, it could have multiple benefits. The intuitive result of a per-ounce taxation on sugary drinks (including those with artificial sweeteners) would be a reduction in consumption. Further, the added tax revenue could be funneled into health programs aimed at obesity prevention, health education for children, and combating obesity-related illnesses.</p><p>I'm writing to urge you to implement a national tax on sugary beverages.</p>