A Republican bill with 7 Democratic cosponsors · See all 12 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Honey Integrity Act aims to protect the integrity of honey sold in the United States. It requires the Secretary to establish a specific standard of identity for honey based on United States Pharmacopeia standards. The bill mandates the creation of a Honey Integrity Program to detect and prevent economically motivated adulteration. Under this program, qualifying commercial honey packers must conduct scientific testing on honey intended for the U.S. market. Packers are also required to certify compliance and report any findings of adulteration to the Secretary. Finally, the bill requires a report to Congress regarding enforcement actions related to misbranded or adulterated honey.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +7
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill protects consumers from fraudulent and adulterated honey through rigorous scientific testing and standards.
- Scored +3
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill expands the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to regulate and oversee the honey market.
- Scored +2
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires reporting of enforcement actions to Congress and publication of packer lists.
The opposite
- Scored -4
Would business owners be better off under this?
Honey packers face new financial assessments, complex testing requirements, and stringent reporting obligations.
- Scored -3
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill imposes new testing burdens and mandatory fees on qualifying commercial honey packers.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Standardized Honey Quality: The Secretary will establish a standard of identity for honey based on United States Pharmacopeia standards, which helps ensure honey meets specific quality requirements (Section 2).
-
Detection of Fraud: The creation of the Honey Integrity Program is designed to detect "economically motivated adulteration," which includes practices like substituting or adding substances to increase a food's value (Section 4(a) and Section 4(f)(1)).
-
Advanced Scientific Oversight: The bill requires the use of high-level science, such as nuclear DNA testing and high-resolution mass spectrometry, to ensure the most scientifically valid outcomes for detecting adulteration (Section 4(b)(2)(A)).
-
Increased Accountability through Reporting: The Secretary is required to submit a report to Congress regarding enforcement actions taken against honey that is adulterated or misbranded (Section 3).
-
Data Sharing for Stakeholders: The Secretary will maintain and share data regarding identified adulteration with relevant enforcement agencies and national domestic producer associations (Section 4(b)(4)(B) and Section 4(b)(4)(C)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
New Costs for Packers: Qualifying commercial honey packers will be subject to a fee specified by the Secretary (Section 4(e)(1)).
-
Increased Testing Burdens: Packers are required to conduct complex and advanced scientific testing, including DNA and mass spectrometry, on the honey they intend to market (Section 4(b)(1) and Section 4(b)(2)(A)).
-
Stringent Reporting Obligations: Packers must certify their compliance, report testing results, and—if they identify adulteration—report that information to the Secretary and law enforcement within 24 hours (Section 4(b)(1) and Section 4(b)(3)).
-
Mandatory Product Refusal: If a packer identifies economically motivated adulteration, they are required to refuse receipt of that honey (Section 4(b)(3)(B)(ii)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to regulate and oversee the honey market. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires reporting of enforcement actions to Congress and publication of packer lists.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill protects consumers from fraudulent and adulterated honey through rigorous scientific testing and standards. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill imposes new testing burdens and mandatory fees on qualifying commercial honey packers.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — Increased food integrity standards may benefit legitimate domestic producers by deterating unfair competition from adulterated products. Would business owners be better off under this? — Honey packers face new financial assessments, complex testing requirements, and stringent reporting obligations.
- 9/2/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/25/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/8/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/30/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/24/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/29/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/30/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/1/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/14/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
James ComerRepublican · Kentucky
Mike EzellRepublican · Mississippi
Josh GottheimerDemocrat · New Jersey
Bill HuizengaRepublican · Michigan
Chrissy HoulahanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Josh HarderDemocrat · California
Dusty JohnsonRepublican · South Dakota
Carol MillerRepublican · West Virginia
Chellie PingreeDemocrat · Maine
Jimmy PanettaDemocrat · California
Josh RileyDemocrat · New York
Eugene VindmanDemocrat · Virginia