HR-4708-119
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Sponsored by Joseph Morelle (D-NY)
What it does
This bill would amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to add spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) control as a named high-priority research and extension initiative, making it eligible for federal research and extension grants. It would also extend the authorization for the broader high-priority research and extension initiatives program from 2023 through 2030, allowing continued federal funding for all initiatives under that program.
Who benefits
Farmers and agricultural producers in affected states — particularly in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and neighboring states) where spotted lanternfly infestations are most severe. Vineyards, orchards, and hop growers, whose crops are especially vulnerable to the pest. University agricultural extension programs and research institutions that would become eligible for new federal grants. Timber and forestry industries threatened by the pest. Homeowners in infested regions who would benefit from improved control methods. Nursery and landscaping businesses that face quarantine restrictions on plant movement.
Who is hurt
Taxpayers who fund the grants authorized under this program, though the bill does not specify a dollar amount. Competing research priorities within the high-priority initiatives program may receive relatively less attention or funding if spotted lanternfly research draws from a shared pool. Pesticide and chemical companies whose existing products may face competition from new research-backed treatments developed under the program.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that the spotted lanternfly has spread to at least 17 states since its U.S. detection in 2014 and poses a documented threat to over $18 billion in agricultural commodities, including grapes, apples, hops, and hardwood timber. They contend that elevating spotted lanternfly control to a named federal research priority would accelerate the development of targeted, science-based tools — such as biological controls and precision treatments — that are currently underfunded relative to the scale of the infestation.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that the federal government already funds spotted lanternfly research through USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and existing pest management programs, making a separate statutory designation potentially redundant. They contend that adding specific pests to the high-priority list on a case-by-case basis sets a precedent that could fragment agricultural research funding across dozens of narrow priorities, reducing the flexibility needed to respond to emerging threats not yet named in statute.
Constitutional context
No significant constitutional issue is raised by this bill. Congress has broad authority to fund agricultural research and direct grant programs under the Commerce Clause (Art. I, §8, cl. 3) and the Spending Clause (Art. I, §8, cl. 1), both of which have been interpreted expansively to cover federal agricultural programs since at least Wickard v. Filburn (1942).
Checks and balances
Congress gains a modest degree of specificity over USDA research priorities by naming spotted lanternfly control in statute; USDA retains discretion over grant awards and amounts within the authorized program.
Historical precedent
The Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 has been amended multiple times to add specific research priorities — including organic agriculture, pollinator health, and food safety — following similar pest or agricultural crises.