(Wall Street Journal) -- The Wall Street Journal reports that "Senate leaders are considering new federal taxes on soda and other sugary drinks to help pay for an overhaul of the nation's health-care system." The paper notes that "the taxes would pay for only a fraction of the cost to expand health-insurance coverage to all Americans and would face strong opposition from the beverage industry. They also could spark a backlash from consumers who would have to pay several cents more for a soft drink."
According to the article, a Washington-based watchdog group "plans to propose a federal excise tax on soda, certain fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks and ready-to-drink teas. ... Excise taxes are levied on goods and manufacturers typically pass them on to consumers."
See the story at <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124208505896608647.html>
