Fetterman, McCormick introduce lanternfly bill

U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding the federal response to the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that has damaged crops in Pennsylvania and spread to other states. The measure, called the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act, was introduced last week with Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, according to Fetterman’s office. The bill would designate spotted lanternfly control research and development as a high-priority research and extension initiative for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Fetterman said the insect has damaged grapevines, apples, peaches and hops that are important to Pennsylvania’s farm economy. ### What exactly would the bill do in Washington? The legislation would amend federal agriculture law so spotted lanternfly control research is treated as a high-priority initiative under the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Congress.gov shows an earlier version of the same bill text was written to add “spotted lanternfly control research and development” to the list of high-priority research and extension initiatives in the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990. (fetterman.senate.gov) Fetterman’s office said the 2026 bill is intended to direct more federal attention to research, management and spread prevention. ### Why are Pennsylvania lawmakers focused on this insect again? Pennsylvania was the place where spotted lanternflies were first detected in the United States in 2014, according to Fetterman’s office and local Pennsylvania reports. Beaver County Radio said the pest remains a threat to grapes, hops, fruit trees and tree-of-heaven, the invasive plant it commonly uses as a host. Fetterman said the insect has “ravaged crops that are critical to Pennsylvania’s economy,” while the release described it as a threat to the broader agricultural economy. (congress.gov) ### Who else signed onto the measure? Sens. Ron Wyden and Kirsten Gillibrand joined the Pennsylvania senators on the bill, according to Fetterman’s Aug. 3 release. That lineup mirrors a broader geographic concern: New York has dealt with lanternfly infestations, while Oregon lawmakers have also backed federal research language on the pest. The release described the measure as bipartisan. (fetterman.senate.gov) ### Is this a new idea or a revival of an older proposal? Congress.gov records show the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act was also introduced in the 118th Congress as S.1837. That earlier bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. The 2026 push appears to revive that approach with a new Senate lineup after earlier bipartisan efforts involving other lawmakers, including former Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey. (fetterman.senate.gov) ### Haven’t people said there are fewer lanternflies this summer? Regional reporting in early August said some residents in Pennsylvania and Virginia were seeing fewer spotted lanternflies than in previous summers. Local experts told those outlets that predators and environmental conditions may be contributing to lower visible numbers in some places. Those reports did not say the pest had been eradicated, and Pennsylvania lawmakers are still describing it as an active invasive-species threat to agriculture. (congress.gov) ### What happens next for the bill? The Senate measure’s next formal step is committee consideration. Congress.gov shows earlier versions of the legislation were referred to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, and Fetterman’s office said the current bill was introduced last week. Any further movement would come through that committee and then the full Senate legislative process. (congress.gov) (cbsnews.com)