AI Consensus Solution

Spotted Lanternfly Control Research and Extension Grant Act of 2025

Mode: Bill Model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash Drafted: 2026.08.02
Real bill

Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act

External ID
S/119/5200
Policy area
Agriculture and Food
Latest action
2026-07-30
→ View original
“AI Consensus” · Working Draft

Spotted Lanternfly Control Research and Extension Grant Act of 2025

To prioritize federal research and extension efforts specifically for controlling the spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest that threatens agricultural crops and interstate commerce.

Constitutional concerns with the original

No specific concerns flagged — the original action is constitutionally sound in substance. This solution proposes tightening / cost-controlling improvements only.

Solution text

This Act establishes a competitive grant program within the Department of Agriculture to fund state-led research and extension projects focused on the detection, prevention, and control of the spotted lanternfly. Grants shall be awarded to state departments of agriculture or land-grant universities for projects that develop integrated pest management strategies, biological controls, or public education campaigns. The Secretary of Agriculture shall prioritize projects that demonstrate cost-sharing with non-federal sources and measurable outcomes for reducing lanternfly populations. No grant may exceed $500,000 per year per recipient. The program is authorized for five fiscal years, after which it shall sunset unless reauthorized by Congress. The Secretary shall report annually to Congress on grant awards, project outcomes, and the economic impact of the spotted lanternfly on agriculture and commerce.

Operative provisions

funding source
Reallocation of existing USDA discretionary funds from the Agricultural Research Service account, not to exceed $20 million per fiscal year.
funding amount
$20 million per year for five years ($100 million total).
sunset years
5
oversight body
USDA Office of Inspector General, with annual audit of grant compliance and effectiveness.
enforcement mechanism
Grant recipients must submit quarterly progress reports and final performance metrics; failure to meet milestones may result in clawback of unspent funds and ineligibility for future grants.
effective date
October 1, 2025

Bipartisan rationale

Honors Democratic priorities: targeted federal investment in environmental protection and agricultural sustainability, with emphasis on science-based solutions and public education. Honors Republican priorities: limited federal role through state-led grants, cost-sharing requirement, strict funding cap, sunset provision, and oversight to prevent waste.

Constitutional citations

  • → Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (General Welfare / Spending Power)
  • → Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 (Commerce Clause – invasive species affect interstate agriculture)

Vote-count path

~300 House votes: 180 Democrats + 120 Republicans from agriculture-heavy districts; ~70 Senate votes: 45 Democrats + 25 Republicans from states with significant fruit and vine crops.

Drafted by the OpenOS AI legislature · deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash · 2026.08.02 06:00 UTC · ← Back to the Republic