H.R. 4708 – Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act

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Updated November 23, 2025 at 11:13 PM UTC

The Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act amends the 1990 Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act to make control of the invasive spotted lanternfly a high‑priority research area. It enables USDA to award grants for developing and sharing effective, science‑based control methods, and it pushes the funding authorization for these priority programs out to 2030. The bill primarily affects agricultural producers, researchers, and extension services dealing with pest management.

Key Provisions

Adds spotted lanternfly control to the list of high‑priority research and extension initiatives, allowing USDA to fund work on tools and treatments to combat the pest.
Authorizes research and extension grants specifically for developing and sharing science‑based methods to manage the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula).
Extends the reauthorization period for several high‑priority research and extension programs from 2023 to 2030.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

July 23, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 23, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

July 23, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued July 23, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4708

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 23, 2025

Mr. Morelle (for himself, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Ms. Houlahan, Mr. Langworthy, Mr. Ryan, Ms. Tenney, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. McBride, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Bresnahan, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Ms. Meng, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Meuser, Ms. Sherrill, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Lynch, and Mr. Costa) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include spotted lanternfly control research and development as high-priority research and extension initiative, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act.

2.

Including spotted lanternfly control research and development as high-priority research and extension initiative

Section 1672(d) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(21)

Spotted lanternfly control

Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purposes of developing and disseminating research-based tools and treatments to combat the Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula).

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3.

Reauthorization of high-priority research and extension initiatives

Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925) is amended in each of subsections (e)(5), (f)(5), (g)(1)(B), (g)(2)(B), (g)(3), and (h) by striking 2023 and inserting 2030.