What This Bill Does
This House bill would cancel the federal registration of all uses of paraquat, a widely used herbicide, and direct the federal government to stop authorizing its sale and application. The practical effect would be to remove paraquat from U.S. agricultural use, affecting farmers, custom applicators, distributors, and workers who handle the chemical. It also aims to reduce exposure for nearby communities, farmworkers, and consumers through stricter control of a pesticide associated with serious health concerns. The bill has been referred to the House Agriculture Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee for review.
- Cancels the federal registration of all paraquat uses
- Would remove paraquat from legal agricultural and commercial use
- Affects farmers, applicators, distributors, and nearby communities
- Referred to House Agriculture and Energy and Commerce on June 18, 2026
Who This Bill Affects
If you are a farmer, farmworker, crop consultant, or pesticide applicator, this bill would matter directly because it would end federal registration for paraquat uses and likely force a switch to other weed-control methods. That could mean new equipment, different chemicals, more labor, or higher production costs. For most other people, the main effect would be indirect: potentially less exposure to a highly toxic pesticide and less paraquat contamination risk in agricultural settings.
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- Farmworker safety advocates They argue paraquat poses serious risks to the people who mix, load, and spray it, especially when exposure is accidental or repeated over time. Canceling registration would reduce the chance of acute poisonings and long-term health harms.
- Public health and environmental groups They say highly toxic pesticides should be removed when safer alternatives exist, especially when drift and runoff can expose people beyond the intended application area. A ban would prioritize risk reduction over convenience.
- Consumers and nearby rural residents They may support the bill because they want lower pesticide exposure in the food system and around treated fields. Even when paraquat is used according to label directions, they may see its hazards as too severe to justify continued use.
- Row-crop and specialty crop farmers They may argue paraquat is an important tool for weed control and crop management, particularly where other options are slower, costlier, or less effective. Losing it could raise production costs and complicate farming operations.
- Pesticide applicators and agribusiness suppliers They may say a registration cancellation would eliminate a product that many growers rely on and disrupt existing supply chains and application services. They would likely push for tighter restrictions instead of a full cancellation.
- Some agricultural economists and extension specialists They may warn that removing a widely used herbicide can increase labor needs, fuel use, and reliance on substitute chemicals. Their concern is that replacement methods may be less efficient or create new environmental trade-offs.
Key Implications
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““cancel the registration of all uses of the pesticide paraquat””
This means the federal government would no longer authorize paraquat for use in the United States. Farmers and applicators would have to move to other weed-control products or methods.
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““all uses of the pesticide paraquat””
The scope is broad, covering the full range of legal uses rather than a single crop or application type. That would affect multiple sectors that currently rely on the herbicide.
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““and for other purposes””
This standard legislative phrase signals the bill may include related conforming or enforcement provisions. In practice, those details would shape how agencies and regulated users transition away from the product.
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“Referred to the Committee on Agriculture”
The Agriculture Committee is the main venue for reviewing impacts on farming, crop production, and pesticide use. Its work will likely focus on how the change affects growers and agricultural markets.
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“In addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce”
This referral suggests health and regulatory issues are also part of the bill’s scope. That committee often handles public-health and consumer-safety aspects of federal law.
Latest Status
June 18, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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Ask AI about this billData sourced from api.congress.gov.