Congress funds research to fight invasive spotted lanternfly pest

What it does

This bill adds spotted lanternfly control to the list of high-priority agricultural research topics eligible for federal grants under the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, and extends the authorization for all such high-priority research initiatives from 2023 to 2030. Farmers, agricultural researchers, and states affected by spotted lanternfly infestations benefit by gaining access to federally funded research and tools to combat the pest.

Why we flagged it

The bill's sole operative mechanism is to designate spotted lanternfly control as an eligible research category and extend the authorization period for high-priority agricultural research initiatives. It is a straightforward expansion of existing grant eligibility and a routine reauthorization.

What the text implies

• The bill does not appropriate funds—it only authorizes research eligibility. Actual funding depends on separate appropriations decisions, so the practical impact depends on whether Congress funds these initiatives in future budget cycles.
• Spotted lanternfly is an invasive species with significant economic impact on agriculture, forestry, and horticulture; research authorization may indirectly benefit multiple sectors beyond direct farming (timber, nurseries, vineyards).
• Extension of the authorization to 2030 provides multi-year certainty for researchers and institutions planning long-term projects, potentially improving research continuity and institutional investment.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill expands access to federally funded agricultural research targeting a destructive invasive pest that damages crops and threatens food security. Farmers and rural communities gain research tools and treatments; consumers benefit from reduced crop damage and food price stability. No offsetting cost to citizens is apparent.

Who stands to gain

• agricultural research institutions
• land-grant universities
• state agricultural extension services
• farming operations (indirect benefit via pest-control tools)

Named in the bill

Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, Section 1672, Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), USDA, land-grant universities, agricultural extension services

Where it stands

40 cosponsors: 24 Democrats, 16 Republicans.

• Jul 23, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Jul 23, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Agriculture · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

1 lobbying clients named this bill on 1 disclosure filings across 1 quarter, Jun 2026 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $30,000 in lobbying spend. A filing names 14 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 0% of bills with at least one filing.

Joseph Morelle, the sponsor, reported $934,875 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Entomological Society of America — $30,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 15, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.