Researchers at the University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) presented at the 2021 Virtual Sugary Drink Summit, hosted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, on April 20-22. The three-day event brought together public health experts and advocates to discuss national, state, and local policies that build community capacity for advocacy, improve health and health equity while reducing consumption of sugary drinks. Christina Hecht from NPI hosted a session on the importance of equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water. Marisa Tsai, an NPI researcher, presented a session titled, 'Evidence base for policy interventions to reduce SSB consumption', where she shared findings from NPI's recent studies on healthy default beverage policies for restaurant kids meals and a chocolate milk removal policy for school cafeterias. The summit culminated on Friday, April 23, when summit participants had an opportunity to participate in a virtual Hill day to visit their Congressional offices. Participants provided information on the evidence base and recommendations to improve nutrition and particularly to reduce consumption of added sugars, with a focus on upcoming legislation including Child Nutrition Reauthorization and the SWEET Act, that would impose a tiered national tax on sugary drinks.