May 14, 2025
Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas (for himself, Mr. Gooden, Mr. Fallon, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Ellzey, Ms. De La Cruz, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Jackson of Texas, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Goldman of Texas, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Sessions, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Babin, Mr. Carter of Texas, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Self, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Williams of Texas, Mr. Moran, Mr. Luttrell, Mr. Vasquez, Mrs. Cammack, Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida, Mr. Lucas, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Bacon, Mrs. Fischbach, Mr. Owens, and Mr. Hunt) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a New World screwworm fly rearing facility, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Strengthening Tactics to Obstruct the Population of Screwworms Act
or the STOP Screwworms Act
.
Sec. 2. New World screwworm fly rearing facility
The Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 10409A (7 U.S.C. 8308a) the following:
10409B. New World screwworm fly rearing facility
(a) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall begin construction on 1 or more modular New World screwworm fly rearing facilities in eligible areas described in subsection (b). Such a facility shall, in addition to providing for the rearing of sterile New World screwworm flies, provide for the dispersal of such flies to areas at risk of New World screwworm fly infestation.
(b) Eligible area described
An eligible area described in this subsection is an area of a State that the Secretary determines to be—
(1)
at risk of New World screwworm fly infestation due to the migratory pattern of confirmed detections of New World screwworm flies; and
(2)
suitable for dispersal of sterile New World screwworm flies reared at a New World screwworm fly rearing facility established under this section to additional areas at risk of New World screwworm fly infestation.
(c) Report
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, and make publicly available on the website of the Department of Agriculture, a report that includes—
(1)
an analysis of the current threat posed to agriculture in the United States by New World screwworm flies; and
(2)
a description of—
(A)
the efforts being taken by the Secretary to combat New World screwworm fly migration, including construction and operation of the facilities described in subsection (a); and
(B)
the effectiveness of such efforts.
(d) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $300,000,000, to remain available until expended.