John Fetterman (D-PA)
Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See all 6 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
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
This bill is called the "Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act". It amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to make spotted lanternfly control research and development a high-priority research and extension initiative. This allows for grants to develop and share research-based tools and treatments to fight the Spotted Lanternfly. Additionally, it extends the authorization for high-priority research and extension initiatives from 2023 to 2028.
Yes· 3 of 15
- Scored +8
Would farmers be better off under this?
Directly provides research and tools to protect crops from a destructive invasive species.
- Scored +6
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
Protects rural landscapes, forestry, and agricultural economies from pest damage.
- Scored +6
Does this put more money into scientific research?
Directly allocates high-priority status and grants for scientific research into pest control.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill authorizes additional funding for research grants and extends existing programs.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Development of control tools: Section 2 allows for grants to create and spread research-based tools and treatments to combat the Spotted Lanternfly, which can help manage the insect.
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Extended research timeline: Section 3 extends the authorization for high-priority research and extension initiatives to 2028, providing more time for these efforts to continue.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for people are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
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.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — Directly provides research and tools to protect crops from a destructive invasive species. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Protects rural landscapes, forestry, and agricultural economies from pest damage. Would business owners be better off under this? — Agricultural business owners benefit from reduced crop loss and available research-based tools. Would students be better off under this? — Increased research grants create opportunities for graduate and doctoral students in agricultural sciences.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Provides critical research tools to protect rural agricultural lands and economies from pest damage. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill focuses on combating an invasive species that threatens native ecosystems and forests. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — Research on pest control helps manage public forests and lands better.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — Directly allocates high-priority status and grants for scientific research into pest control.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Agricultural small businesses benefit from the development of tools to protect their crops. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Protecting agricultural assets from pests supports long-term economic stability in the farming sector. Is this likely to create jobs? — Grants for research and development may create specialized scientific and technical employment opportunities. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill authorizes additional funding for research grants and extends existing programs.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make it easier to do business across state lines? — Reducing pest spread facilitates smoother trade of agricultural goods across state lines. Does this give the federal government more power? — Increases federal oversight and funding roles in agricultural pest research.
- Healthcare
- Does this put more money into medical research? — The bill specifically increases funding for agricultural pest research and extension.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this make trade with other countries easier? — Controlling invasive pests helps maintain the quality and viability of agricultural exports.
- 11/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/4/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
David McCormickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
John ReedDemocrat · Rhode Island
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon