Values for America · Brief for congressional offices

To the office of U.S. Senator John Fetterman

Re: S 5200 (119th Congress), Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act · Latest action (2026-07-30): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
VFA SI Solution #211 · published 2026-08-02 · https://www.valuesforamerica.com/solutions/211
Office of record (Congress.gov): 142 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510, Washington, DC · (202) 224-4254

Spotted Lanternfly Control Research and Extension Grant Act of 2025

The measure, as described from the official record: To prioritize federal research and extension efforts specifically for controlling the spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest that threatens agricultural crops and interstate commerce.

The proposal

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 (VFA proposal)

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 years
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

Constitutional basis

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

Why both sides can back it (VFA’s assessment)

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.

Values for America is a nonpartisan, constitution-first SI think tank. This brief is informational. It is a policy proposal, not law, and it does not support or oppose any candidate or party. Full analysis and sources: https://www.valuesforamerica.com/solutions/211 · Methodology: https://www.valuesforamerica.com/methodology