H.R. 2692House113th Congress (2013-2015)In Committee

Saving America's Pollinators Act of 2013

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Referred to the Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture.

Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology Subcommittee

August 13, 2013

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 16, 2013

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1066)

July 16, 2013

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

July 16, 2013

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture.

Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology Subcommittee

August 13, 2013

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 2692 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Earl BlumenauerD-OR-3 · Jun 19, 2014

Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress come to the floor to take the opportunity to urge that we deal with the great issues of the day--the failure of the House of Representatives to deal with climate…

Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress come to the floor to take the opportunity to urge that we deal with the great issues of the day--the failure of the House of Representatives to deal with climate challenge and global warming; to reduce senseless gun violence; and the crying need to rebuild and renew America and pay for the rebuilding-- but there are also a range of other issues that don't, on the surface, appear to be quite that important, but play a critical part in the bigger picture.

Today, I would like to address just one small part of the bigger picture because this is National Pollinator Week, where we recognize the importance of honeybees and over 250,000 other species that pollinate our food and which create $20 billion to $30 billion in agricultural production in the United States every year. Honeybees alone are responsible for pollinating one in every three bites of food we eat. Nearly 100 varieties of fruits depend on honeybee pollination.

While significant media attention has been devoted in recent years to the decline of honeybees, there is evidence of wild pollinator declines. Native bees are especially important to a number of iconic northwest agricultural products--such as cherries, apples, berries, as well as seed crops like alfalfa, canola, and vegetable seed.

I am proud that, in my community, we are home to the internationally- renowned Xerces Society, a nonprofit in the forefront of pollinator protection and habitat conservation, which harnesses the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of citizens to implement conservation programs worldwide.

We saw in our community that businesses were stepping up to educate citizens and give pollinators a home. Last year, the rooftops of two local New Seasons Market grocery stores became home to several honeybee colonies--over 50,000 small pollinators--as part of the store's Bee Part of the Solution campaign.

Last summer, the Overlook neighborhood in my district started a project to become Portland's first pesticide-free neighborhood. Hundreds of households have committed to landscaping without the use of toxic chemicals to protect the habitat for not just bees, but wildlife as well.

These efforts are very important because the pollinator species and the livelihoods they support are suffering catastrophic loss, reaching an alarming 42 percent loss in recent studies.

American beekeepers have been consistently reporting severe colony losses of this magnitude for the last several years. The situation is serious and can have a devastating impact both on our food systems and the environment.

A certain class of insecticides, neonicotinoids, have been linked to damaging effects on honeybees and other pollinators, such as impairing their foraging and feeding behavior, disorientation, failure to find their way back to the beehives, weakened immunity, and interrupting the reproductive process.

A year ago, over 50,000 bumblebees died in Oregon as a direct result of an exposure to a neonicotinoid lawfully applied to trees for cosmetic purposes--the largest bumblebee kill on record.

Citing the mounting threats from these pesticides that honeybees and other pollinators now face and the importance and the value of the pollination process, last year Congressman Conyers and I introduced H.R. 2692, Saving America's Pollinators Act. The bill would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately suspend the use of the most bee-toxic neonicotinoids and review the impact

they have on pollinators and on the entire food chain and make a new determination about their proper application and safe use.

I hope that during Pollinator Week my colleagues will consider joining the 65 bipartisan cosponsors in this effort. While lots of major issues tie Congress into partisan knots, being able to protect the pollination process and its impact on the environment is a small step to protect the environment and is one that can actually bring us together in a low-cost, high-impact way.

I urge my colleagues to consider joining me in this effort.

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Introduced in HouseIssued July 16, 2013

113th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2692

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 16, 2013

Mr. Conyers (for himself and Mr. Blumenauer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to take certain actions related to pesticides that may affect pollinators, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Saving America’s Pollinators Act of 2013.

Findings

(1)

Pollination services are a vital part of agricultural production, valued at over $125,000,000,000 globally and worth $20,000,000,000 to $30,000,000,000 in agricultural production annually in the United States.

(2)

One-third of food produced in North America depends on pollination by honey bees, including nearly 95 varieties of fruits such as almonds, avocados, cranberries, and apples.

(3)

Over the past several years, documented incidents of colony collapse disorder have been at a record high, with some beekeepers repeatedly losing 100 percent of their operations.

(4)

During the winter beginning in 2012 and ending in 2013, United States beekeepers, on average, lost 45.1 percent of the colonies they operate.

(5)

According to scientists of the Department of Agriculture, current estimates of the survivorship of honey bee colonies show they are too low to be able to meet the pollination demands of United States agricultural crops.

(6)

Scientists have linked the use of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides to the rapid decline of pollinators and to the deterioration of pollinator health.

(7)

Neonicotinoids cause sublethal effects including impaired foraging and feeding behavior, disorientation, weakened immunity, delayed larval development, and increased susceptibility to viruses, diseases, and parasites and numerous studies have also demonstrated acute, lethal effects from the application of neonicotinoid insecticides.

(8)

Recent science has demonstrated that a single corn kernel coated with a neonicotinoid is toxic enough to kill a songbird.

(9)

In June 2013, over 50,000 bumblebees were killed as a direct result of exposure to a neonicotinoid applied to Linden trees for cosmetic purposes.

(10)

In January 2013, the European Food Safety Authority determined that the most widely used neonicotinoids pose unacceptable hazards to bees, prompting the European Union to suspend their use on agricultural crops.

Urgent regulatory response for honey bee and pollinator protection

(a)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall suspend the registration of imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, dinotafuran, and any other members of the nitro group of neonicotinoid insecticides to the extent such insecticide is registered, conditionally or otherwise, under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.) for use in seed treatment, soil application, or foliar treatment on bee attractive plants, trees, and cereals until the Administrator has made a determination that such insecticide will not cause unreasonable adverse effects on pollinators based on—

(1)

an evaluation of the published and peer-reviewed scientific evidence on whether the use or uses of such neonicotinoids cause unreasonable adverse effects on pollinators, including native bees, honey bees, birds, bats, and other species of beneficial insects; and

(2)

a completed field study that meets the criteria required by the Administrator and evaluates residues, including residue build-up after repeated annual application, chronic low-dose exposure, cumulative effects of multiple chemical exposures, and any other protocol determined to be necessary by the Administrator to protect managed and native pollinators.

(b)

Conditions on certain pesticides registrations

Notwithstanding section 3 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136a), for purposes of the protection of honey bees, other pollinators, and beneficial insects, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall not issue any new registrations, conditional or otherwise, for any seed treatment, soil application, and foliar treatment on bee attractive plants, trees, and cereals under such Act until the Administrator has made the determination described in subsection (a), based on an evaluation described in subsection (a)(1) and a completed field study described in subsection (a)(2), with respect to such insecticide.

(c)

Monitoring of native bees

The Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall, for purposes of protecting and ensuring the long-term viability of native bees and other pollinators of agricultural crops, horticultural plants, wild plants, and other plants—

(1)

regularly monitor the health and population status of native bees, including the status of native bees in agricultural and non-agricultural habitats and areas of ornamental plants, residential areas, and landscaped areas;

(2)

identify the scope and likely causes of unusual native bee mortality; and

(3)

beginning not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and each year thereafter, submit to Congress, and make available to the public, a report on such health and population status.